Tajik Television
Government Television encompasses a network of state-run broadcasters under the direct supervision of the Republic of Tajikistan’s government. The group’s flagship channel is TV Tajikistan, complemented by a range of thematic outlets including TV Safina, Jahonnamo TV, Bahoriston (children and youth programming), Sport TV, TV Sinamo, and TV Shahnavoz (music). In 2021, the portfolio was further expanded with the launch of Ilm va Tabiat, a channel dedicated to science and nature.
Media assets
Television: National– Televizioni Tojikiston, TV Safina, Jahonamo TV, Bakhoriston, TV Varzish; Regional- TV Poytakht, TV Soghd,TV Khatlon, TV Kulob, TV Badakhshon, TV ANT, TV Mavji Oriyono, TV Mavji Istiqlol, TV Servis, TV Alyans
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
The Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting is responsible for overseeing the operations of Government Television. The Committee performs a dual role: on one hand it acts as the national broadcast regulator, licensing independent stations; on the other, it operates as a state broadcaster, directly managing the government’s television channels. This conflation of regulatory and operational functions has long raised concerns among local observers about conflicts of interest and the absence of independent oversight.
The current head of Televizioni Tojikiston is Samandar Iskandarzoda, who has served as director since his appointment in August 2022.
Source of funding and budget
According to local experts and journalists interviewed for this report in March 2023, May 2024 and March 2025, all government television channels in Tajikistan are funded entirely through the state budget. No official data is publicly available regarding the size of these allocations, nor have the authorities disclosed detailed breakdowns of annual expenditures. This opacity makes it difficult to track the financial sustainability of the broadcasters or to evaluate the efficiency of their operations.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence is effectively absent. Government-owned broadcasters are explicitly tasked with promoting the policies and interests of the Tajik government. Content analysis conducted in 2023 and 2024 confirmed a consistent pro-government bias: the overwhelming majority of coverage focuses on state officials, particularly the President, while dissenting voices, opposition viewpoints, or critical perspectives are either sidelined or excluded altogether.
No domestic statute, independent regulatory safeguard, or third-party evaluation mechanism exists to guarantee or even measure the editorial independence of Tajik Government Television. The broadcasters therefore operate as a de facto mouthpiece for the authorities, mirroring the broader pattern of tight state control over Tajikistan’s media landscape.
August 2025