Iran Broadcasting Chief Says Radio a Source of Calm. US Congressmen Disagree.
An Iranian sponsored international radio conference and a US Congressional committee hearing, all in one week, heaped praise and criticism on broadcasters.
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The world finds its bearings each day from broadcast news. Through radio and television sounds and images, facts and reality are sorted and chosen by billions. Though times are changing broadcast news will continue to inform and educate like no other medium for generations to come. News brands have expanded to meet increasing demand; CNN has global television reach, Al Jazeera is a new force and the BBC lofts above them all.
Speaking to the International Radio Programs Festival, Mohammad Mohammadzadeh, director of Ma’aref Radio, said the station’s programs bring “calm” to Iranians. And that “calm” will soon be exported, via satellite, to Europe and North America two hours a day in English.
“The radio station is trying to relay programs that teach the right methods to those who want to find the path to tranquility,” he offered. My’aref Radio is part of Iranian State Broadcasting and broadcasts mainly religious speeches.
Tranquility was not the call of the day when the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia met last Wednesday (May 15). It was yet another opportunity for politicians to hoist US international broadcasting stations up the petard. On hand was US Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) member Joaquin F. Blaya to face the enduring question, this time posed by US Representative David Scott, of why, with all the money spent on US public diplomacy outreach – including broadcasting – “does the world - the Muslim world in particular - continue to hate us so?”
Rhetorical posturing and questions aside, Mr Blaya was admonished by committee chairperson Representative Gary Ackerman for TV channel al-Hurrah broadcasting a decidedly intranquil speech of Hezbollah leader Hannan Nasrallah, breaking BBG rules about TV time for terrorists. Mr. Blaya – former CEO of Univision, America’s largest Spanish-language TV network – offered that no al-Hurrah executives speak the language so nobody knew what Shiek Nasrallah was saying.
Censorship is a major issue with BBG staff, executives and board members. Mr Blaya echoed the reasonable understanding that censoring content pulls away from credibility. Noting the irony, he added, “That’s the difference between a free media and propaganda.”
Iran’s often hyperbolic President Mahmoud Ahmadinejab told last weeks’ gathering of broadcasters that radio plays an effective role in shaping interaction among people, reported by official news agency IRNA. He urged broadcasters to “provide more effective programs which would further boost national spirit and promote friendship among people.”
The eighth edition of the Iranian sponsored International Radio Programs Festival was held in Mashad, Iran last week (May 15/18) and attracted little notice in the West. The grand prize for radio drama was awarded to India’s State broadcaster All India Radio. - May 20, 2007
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Radio Farda reporter Parnaz Azima left Iran after an extended and unplanned eight month stay. Iran’s official media said she was planning a ‘velvet revolution.’ Give me a break! She was visiting her mother.
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