Khovar
Khovar, the official state news agency of Tajikistan, traces its origins back to 1925 when it was established as the Tajik Telegraph Agency (TTA). Over the decades, it has grown into the country’s main state-run information provider, functioning not only as a newswire but also as a broadcaster through its subsidiary Radio Khovar FM, which relays government positions and official narratives to a nationwide audience.
Media assets
News agency: Khovar
Radio: Radio Khovar FM
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
According to local experts and journalists consulted for this report, Khovar is wholly owned and operated by the Government of Tajikistan. This has been confirmed by recent studies mapping media ownership in Tajikistan. It functions directly under state oversight, with its leadership and strategic direction aligned with government priorities.
Subhiddin Shamsiddinzoda is the Director of Tajikistan’s National Information Agency Khovar, appointed in 2023.
Source of funding and budget
Khovar is financed entirely through the state budget. Local experts and journalists interviewed in February 2024 confirmed that no independent revenue streams exist and that the agency relies fully on government allocations. However, the precise breakdown of these allocations remains opaque, as the authorities do not publish detailed financial information about the agency’s operations.
Editorial independence
As the government’s official mouthpiece, Khovar serves as a vehicle for the promotion of state policies and political leadership. Local journalists and experts interviewed in February 2024 stressed that the agency’s output is overtly biased, systematically privileging coverage of senior officials,most notably the President, while downplaying or excluding dissenting voices. An ad hoc review of Khovar’s published material conducted in February-May 2024 confirmed this pronounced editorial slant.
No statute law or regulatory safeguard guaranteeing Khovar’s editorial autonomy has been identified, nor is there any independent oversight body to review its performance.
August 2025