National Radio Frequency Survey

Featuring population coverage maps of independent and state radio stations throughout Afghanistan, Internews' second national radio signal survey traces radio communication trends in this country. Statistics on land area and population relevant to radio stations are presented (often in graphic - map - format) and discussed. The report is drawn from approximately 2000 global positioning satellite (GPS) data points and radio signal strength readings taken between May and July 2004. Data is analysed with geographic information systems (GIS) software and population distribution maps derived from 2002 population estimates.

The survey includes a section detailing radio plurality of Afghan listeners, or the number of stations accessible to each individual throughout the country. Organisers explain, "This is the second report in an ongoing series of national radio surveys. The first National Radio Survey was published in April 2004 [click here for the full PDF version of this first survey]. Between the two surveys, virtually every radio signal in Afghanistan is discussed. This second report allows us to project a radio plurality index (RPI) on the population as a whole, averaging the number of stations accessible by any individual in a given area. By examining station coverage overlap, we can determine that there are approximately seven or eight stations available to radio listeners in Kabul , the main urban center of the country. Thus there are seven or eight times the population of Kabul (here and according to CSO 2002 predictions, 3,284,745) as distinct 'listenership' units. That equals over 24 million listener units in Kabul alone....Therefore, our radio plurality index for Kabul is the dividend of the two figures, or 7.46. There are 7.46 radio signals available to each Kabuli."