Impact of Television Content on the Cultural Perspectives of Youth in Afghanistan: A Case Study, Jalalabad City

This study examines the perceived influence of television content on the cultural perspectives of youth in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Television remains a key medium shaping cultural awareness and social values, particularly in a context where media expansion intersects with strong cultural and religious sensitivities. The study aimed to examine television watching habits and assess perceived positive and negative cultural influences. A quantitative, descriptive cross-sectional survey design was employed. The target population consisted of youth residing in Jalalabad City, and a sample of 385 participants was determined using Cochran’s formula. Data were collected using a researcher-developed structured questionnaire through convenience sampling, resulting in a male-only and relatively educated sample. Reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s Alpha (positive impact = 0.763; negative impact = 0.870). Data were analyzed using SPSS 27. Spearman’s correlation analysis showed a weak but significant negative association between television watching time and perceived positive cultural influence (ρ = −0.186, p < .01), while no significant association was found with perceived negative influence. Kruskal–Wallis test results indicated that perceived positive effects slightly increased with age, whereas perceived negative effects showed minimal variation across age groups, with no significant differences across education levels. Overall, the findings suggest that television content is generally perceived as positively associated with youth cultural awareness and values, while perceived negative influences remain limited. However, the cross-sectional design, male-only sample, and non-probability sampling limit the generalizability of the findings.