Moby Media Group Explained

Moby Group
Type:	Private
Foundation:	2002
Founder:	Saad Mohseni, Zaid Mohseni, Jahid Mohseni, Wajma Mohseni
Location City:	Kabul
Location Country:	Afghanistan
Area Served:	South Asia, Central Asia, Middle East, Africa
Key People:	Saad Mohseni (Founder and CEO)
Num Employees:	1200 (2023)

Moby Media Group is the largest media company in Afghanistan.^[1] Moby Group is privately owned, with headquarters in Kabul and 15 bureaus throughout Afghanistan. The company also has an office in Dubai, where regional business is conducted.

History

Moby Group was founded by Afghan entrepreneur Saad Mohseni with the start-up help of United States government money and with a cash injection from News Corporation, led by his friend Rupert Murdoch.^[2] The company has partnered with Voice of America in Afghanistan, and the US government has continued funding some of its broadcasts.^{[3] [4] [5]}

Saad Mohseni is an Afghan-Australian who returned to his native Afghanistan in 2002. Saad is founder and current chief executive officer of Moby Group. Based in the capital city of Kabul, as of 2023 the company employs over 1200 staff across 16 businesses.^[6]

In 2015, the Taliban labeled TOLO TV a 'propaganda network'.^[7]

In 2016, its subsidiary Lapis was paid AU$1.6 million for promoting a "anti-refugee" film commissioned by the Australian Department of Immigration. The film was also broadcast on TOLO TV.^{[8] [9] [10]} Moby Group has offices in Afghanistan, UAE, Pakistan, and Ethiopia.

Group structure

The company has three divisions:

• Moby Media Group, with the broadcast brands TOLOnews, TOLO TV, Lemar TV, Arman FM, Kana TV, Barbud Music, Kaboora, Toot and Darya streaming service, along with production, media distribution, talent management, print media and directories.^[11]
• Moby Technology Group, which operates technology companies Afghan ITT and 456 in the IT&T and Interactive voice response arenas.
• Moby People Group, which includes the advertising agency Lapis and the AndeshaGah Internet café chain.

See also

• Internet in Afghanistan
• Communications in Afghanistan
• Mass media in Afghanistan

External links

• Moby Media Group

Notes and References

1. Web site: Saad Mohseni Is Afghanistan's First Media Mogul. National Public Radio. 2010-09-06.
2. News: Bowley. Graham. 2013-07-27. An Afghan Media Mogul, Pushing Boundaries. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-09-01. 0362-4331.
3. Web site: VOA to Broadcast in Afghanistan on MOBY GROUP channels – ABU. 2021-09-01. en-US.
4. Web site: Vogt. Heidi. What an Afghan News Outlet’s Early Encounters With the Taliban Tell Us About the Country’s Future. 2021-09-01. POLITICO. en.
5. News: Abi-Habib. Maria. 2010-11-17. U.S. Courts Afghans Through Television. en-US. Wall Street Journal. 2021-09-01. 0099-9660.
6. Web site: About us MOBY Group . 2023-06-08 . mobygroup.com.
7. Web site: Taliban Target Afghan TV Networks. 2021-09-01. RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. en.
8. Web site: Gartrell. Adam. 2016-04-02. Former refugee paid to promote Dutton's anti-refugee telemovie. 2021-09-01. The Sydney Morning Herald. en.
9. Web site: Drummond. Josh. 2016-05-06. You Will Not Make Australia Home: Watching 'Journey', Australia's terrible anti-asylum-seeker propaganda film. 2021-09-01. The Spinoff.
10. Web site: Leivada. Danae. 2016-03-29. Australia Wants To Scare Away Migrants With A Movie. 2021-09-01. HuffPost. en.
11. Web site: Content MOBY Group . 2023-06-08 . mobygroup.com.