Good Morning, Afghanistan! Military Wants Kandahar Radio

Regional Command-South, the military organization in southern Afghanistan, wants a contractor to provide it “a minimum of twelve (12) hours of broadcasting per day, 7 days a week,” according to a notice issued Tuesday, “which shall include news, music, education, public service announcements and other programming.” That includes a potential “talk show [and] radio call-in show.”

The command will provide the radio station with its broadcast facilities, equipment, connectivity frequencies, even an SMS update service. All the contractor will need to provide is the content — provided it amplifies the military’s message, of course. It’ll be in the “Pashto language with Kandahari dialect,” for authenticity’s sake and maximum effectiveness. But Afghans aren’t exactly expected to rise high in the radio station’s organization.

According to a model structure provided by the military, local Afghans should be hired as journalists, technicians and on-air talent. Their bosses, however, should be “International Civilian Hires” — who, in turn, kick up to Regional Command-South.