During the official campaign period for the Wolesi Jirga and the Provincial Council elections the mass media is faced with the difficult task of providing more then 5000 candidates with the opportunity to broadcast their campaign message to voters. Airtime is limited and not all candidates have the means to have their message produced and broadcast.

To provide equitable access for candidates to radio and television during the official campaign period, the Media Commission has developed the Sponsored Advertisement Program. Through this Program the Media Commission has set the amount of time candidates can use to broadcast campaign advertisements during the official campaign period. An outside agency will directly pay the radio and television stations. This agency works closely with the Media Commission. Neither the Media Commission nor the candidates will receive any funding.

Instruction Manual for Radio and Television Stations

Model Message Female Candidate

Model Message Male Candidate

List of Participating Stations

Contracts with Radio and Television stations

The Media Commission has been negotiating contracts with a broad range of private and state-run radio and television stations in the country. Through these contracts, the payments for airtime to the private and state-run radio and television are arranged.

Once the contracts are signed the final list of stations will be made public. The Media Commission will make the list available to the public through different means of communication, including the website of the Media Commission and in the JEMBS provincial offices. Once the list is public the candidates can choose a radio or television station to produce and broadcast their advertisement. Candidates are only allowed to choose a radio or television station in the province in which they are registered as candidate for the Wolesi Jirga or Provincial Council elections.

Recording and broadcasting of the advertisement

Before a station records a candidate's advertisements the producers have the obligation to verify whether a candidate has recorded an advertisement at another station. The station can record the advertisement after the Media Commission has confirmed that the candidate has not recorded another advertisement with another station.

Before leaving the radio or television station the candidate should choose when she or he would like to have the advertisement broadcast. Candidates are advised to choose and visit the radio or television station soon after the list of stations is published. This will allow them to select the best time slots for the broadcast of their advertisement.

Entitlements under the Sponsored Advertisement Program

Contact information

Website: http://www.jemb.org/media_commission/index.html

For further information regarding the Media Commission, please feel free to email us at: info.mc@jemb.org .