Iran Lauches English Language Propaganda Channel

[The Yankee]

Which equals fun for the whole family!

Iran launches English TV channel to counter western influence

Jul 02, 2007 11:59 PM
Associated press

TEHRAN, Iran – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated an English-language satellite television channel Monday to counter what Iran claims is the West's influence in covering news.

"Press TV should broadcast the truth to the world," said Ahmadinejad in a ceremony marking the inauguration.

"This network should be a podium for freedom seekers and Muslims of the world."

Mohammad Sarafraz, deputy head of Iran's broadcasting company in charge of foreign channels, said more than three million people, one-half of them from the United States, have visited Press TV's website over the last six months.

Sarafraz said the 24-hour channel would broadcast news every half-hour. He said the channel also plans to broadcast documentaries on U.S. soldiers who quit the military.

The website of the channel said the goal of Press TV is to ``break the global media stranglehold of western outlets" and ``show the other side of the story" in the Middle East.

The channel belongs to Iran's state broadcasting company, the only authorized body in the country to have radio and television channels.

The English-speaking network has 30 correspondents around the world, including Washington and New York City and the Gaza Strip in Palestine. Press TV said it would be broadcast on several satellites including Hot Bird and Arab Sat. It was not immediately known if any U.S.-based satellite channels plan to show the station.

Source

I heard CNN mention this in passing but didn't hear the story on it, so I went to look for it myself. Sure enough, there it is.

So what do you guys think on this? How long will this last?

I don't think there will be a middle ground of viability for this station. It will either flop or be a big success.

I also wonder who the target audience is supposed to be. The Arab countries have their own channels and don't have to listen to Iran. Iranians might watch it. Anywhere else, I wonder if it'll gather steam. Certainly if there are other established sources of propaganda for regional purposes out there.

I do wish I could see it once or twice, to find out what the heck they call the truth and how it will cater to "freedom seekers" of the world.

Edit: And just what do they expect to do with interviews with former US servicemen?

 

[Swedishguy]

What the...? Seriously, what happened to the world? Why can't everyone be happy?

 

[nivi]

Hizbulla has a website in hebrew, Israel had a radio in Farci...

Meh.

 

[skadistic]

Did you know the London bombings were a plot to distract from the world from the knighting of Salmon Rushdi? Its true. Ahmadinamidget's TV station said so.

 

[emzie]

It'll flop in North America at least. Few American companies carry Al Jazeera English; in Canada, it takes a long time for the satellite / cable companies to get the permit to show a foreign channel.

 

[emzie]

Hizbulla has a website in hebrew

That is nothing short of awesome.

 

[Princeps]

When we do it, it's "free press", when they do it, it's "propaganda".

No, seriously, there's nothing they can do that would surpass the massive power-worshipping propaganda institutions of the west, which we call the "pr-industry" and papers like New York Times.

 

[.Shane.]

I love the implication of this quote:

"This network should be a podium for freedom seekers and Muslims of the world."

 

[LordRahl]

When we do it, it's "free press", when they do it, it's "propaganda".

No, seriously, there's nothing they can do that would surpass the massive power-worshipping propaganda institutions of the west, which we call the "pr-industry" and papers like New York Times.

Nothing funnier than self-hating Westerners. I'm guessing you also consider Hamas Mikey Mouse a fine example of programming for kids? Less cultural relativism, and more reason please...

I love the implication of this quote:

Quote:
"This network should be a podium for freedom seekers and Muslims of the world."

Freudian slip I guess - but what else would you expect from a former terrorist.

 

[EdwardTking]

They are merely admitting that English is the world language.

Hurrah!

Few outside Iran and very nearby understand Farsi.

 

[fishlore]

When we do it, it's "free press", when they do it, it's "propaganda".

No, seriously, there's nothing they can do that would surpass the massive power-worshipping propaganda institutions of the west, which we call the "pr-industry" and papers like New York Times.

"The channel belongs to Iran's state broadcasting company, the only authorized body in the country to have radio and television channels."

As I understand it, the U.S. doesn't have 1 and only 1 authorized body for radio and television controlled by the government. Instead there are many media outlets, none of which are owned by the government. Don't let the facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory though.

 

[Princeps]

"The channel belongs to Iran's state broadcasting company, the only authorized body in the country to have radio and television channels."

As I understand it, the U.S. doesn't have 1 and only 1 authorized body for radio and television controlled by the government. Instead there are many media outlets, none of which are owned by the government. Don't let the facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory though.

US media is controlled by totalitarian entities called corporations, which are very much tied with the people inside the government and people in the government are very much connected to the corporations. Modern western PR-industry was created in Britain during the WW1, to brainwash the normal British people into raving anti-german fanatics and it worked fantasically... and it impressed everyone, the corporations, the government and even Hitler who swore to exploit the methods himself later on.

I do not defend what Iran might be doing with its Media -- but its rather stupid to point out their problems, when our own media continues to indoctrinate us.

 

[Urederra]

I can't wait for "Allo Mr. Imam". Sure It is gonna be lots of fun.

 

[fishlore]

US media is controlled by totalitarian entities called corporations, which are very much tied with the people inside the government and people in the government are very much connected to the corporations. Modern western PR-industry was created in Britain during the WW1, to brainwash the normal British people into raving anti-german fanatics and it worked fantasically... and it impressed everyone, the corporations, the government and even Hitler who swore to exploit the methods himself later on.

I do not defend what Iran might be doing with its Media -- but its rather stupid to point out their problems, when our own media continues to indoctrinate us.

Riiiiiight, so you're saying all of the media in the US is presenting the same message and that message is whatever the government wants it to be? Is Reuters controlled by people inside the US government? What about moveon.org? The US government is using tricky WWI era brainwash tactics on us?

Assuming the above nonsense is true in a parrellel universe somewhere, why is such a large percentage of the population against the war, against this administration and hating congress? The WWi era brainwashing tactics you say Hitler liked so much, must not be very effective if it's the government pulling the strings.

The fact of the matter is that I can go to one station and get a leftist view, another station to get a rightist view, a website to get a British view, another website to get Al Jazera's view and so on. Surely the US government can't control them all? It's not about the US media anymore. We live in a global world with many voices.

 

[amadeus]

When we do it, it's "free press", when they do it, it's "propaganda".

Probably because Iran has virtually no press freedom.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

US media is controlled by totalitarian entities called corporations, which are very much tied with the people inside the government and people in the government are very much connected to the corporations. Modern western PR-industry was created in Britain during the WW1, to brainwash the normal British people into raving anti-german fanatics and it worked fantasically... and it impressed everyone, the corporations, the government and even Hitler who swore to exploit the methods himself later on.

I do not defend what Iran might be doing with its Media -- but its rather stupid to point out their problems, when our own media continues to indoctrinate us.

If the media is controlled by the US government, then why is it so critical of everything American, including the administration?

 

[scy12]

A large percentage of press of all countries is propaganda purposed. As long as they allow all different propagandas to air then that is good.

 

[skadistic]

If the media is controlled by the US government, then why is it so critical of everything American, including the administration?

Its the Luminaty who is run by the freemasons which is a front for the zionists. And we all know the Jews run the media and America is just the puppet master of Israel. So when an American media outlet bad mouths the admin. Its just the admin diverting away from other more important violation or arabs.

 

[civverguy]

If the channel is just documentaries and news, not many people will watch it.

 

[Merkinball]

Who cares...