Iran launches English language station
Here's an interesting media item about the launch of an English-languauge news channel by Iran's state broadcaster. From the BBC:
Shahab Mosavat, the host of a program called "Middle East Today" on the new channel, was asked by NPR about the new station's independence from the Iranian government, and he said he had more independence at Press TV than he did at the BBC, alluding to the relative freedom a start-up outfit might enjoy over a more mature organization. He also said Press TV will be state-funded rather than state controlled. (I'm paraphrasing from memory, as the transcript is not up yet, only the audio file.)
So I'm calling Comcast this morning to harangue some poor worker about getting the new channel. Just kidding, of course, but as the media landscape continues to rapidly evolve, one has to wonder whether the new station will live up to these bold promises. Since the American networks have largely abandoned international reporting, a lot of Americans might find it enlightening (or even, ahem, news) that the Iranians may not be huge fans of the Taliban and al-Qaeda.
There's more than one side to every story, and in the case of the Middle East, there are often dozens of angles, so if Press TV really does wind up enjoying true journalistic independence, that would be a good thing.
We'll see. I haven't had the nerve to tune into the American cable networks this morning, as I'm fresh out of Depends.
Mr (Mohammad) Sarafraz said Press TV would offer an unbiased view, unlike al-Jazeera, which he said had supported the Taleban and the regime of Saddam Hussein.Now, if we've all learned nothing else, it's to take all media reporting with a healthy dose of skepticism, but I find it interesting that the supposed purpose, according to the vice-president of Iranian state media, is partially to counter pro-Taliban bias, as well as Western media.
Since the 9/11 attacks in the US in 2001 the world's media had divided into two camps, he said.
On the one side was the perspective offered by Western media, while the other side was pro-Taleban and pro-al-Qaeda, Mr Sarafraz said.
He said Press TV wanted to deliver a different view of the security situation in Iraq, US military threats and the push for democracy in the Middle East.
Shahab Mosavat, the host of a program called "Middle East Today" on the new channel, was asked by NPR about the new station's independence from the Iranian government, and he said he had more independence at Press TV than he did at the BBC, alluding to the relative freedom a start-up outfit might enjoy over a more mature organization. He also said Press TV will be state-funded rather than state controlled. (I'm paraphrasing from memory, as the transcript is not up yet, only the audio file.)
So I'm calling Comcast this morning to harangue some poor worker about getting the new channel. Just kidding, of course, but as the media landscape continues to rapidly evolve, one has to wonder whether the new station will live up to these bold promises. Since the American networks have largely abandoned international reporting, a lot of Americans might find it enlightening (or even, ahem, news) that the Iranians may not be huge fans of the Taliban and al-Qaeda.
There's more than one side to every story, and in the case of the Middle East, there are often dozens of angles, so if Press TV really does wind up enjoying true journalistic independence, that would be a good thing.
We'll see. I haven't had the nerve to tune into the American cable networks this morning, as I'm fresh out of Depends.
