BBC news chief addresses international radio festival

Michael Hedges May 22, 2008

Iran’s state broadcasting institution hosted again its International Radio Festival. The Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union joined the event this year co-hosting the International Radio Forum. The BBC’s Director of Global News Richard Sambrook gave the keynote. Only one Iranian official walked out.

This weeks’ International Radio Festival was the 9th   more or less annual event sponsored by state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB). This year the Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) held its International Radio Forum jointly with the Iranian event. The festivities kicked off in Tehran with speeches and visits to various broadcast facilities then moved to Isfahan for more speeches, more visits, workshops and the requisite awards ceremony. The five days of talking about international broadcasting ended with a very long Wednesday night (May 22).

“Events like this will help study world radio programs from various points of view,” remarked ABU president David Astley at a press conference (May 20), reported by Tehran Times. He noted that the IRIB is one of the “most active members of ABU and plays a major role in the Middle East.”   

“This is the third time I am in Iran,” said Astley, “and I am happy to see great progress in radio programs each time. This festival indicates a good progress and I think Iran’s great endeavor will help develop radio programs in the region.”

IRIB deputy director Hassan Khojasteh next addressed the press conference, saying the forum would be “a good chance to exchange views between the foreign guests and Iranian radio programmers.” He also promised more conferences.

“I believe the older the radio gets, the younger its programs become,” he mused, “and for further freshness, radio requires new theories.” The official program listed seven ‘scientific meetings’. He also announced the launching “in the near future” of four new radio channels.

Richard Sambrook’s remarks focused on international broadcasting, globalization and the relationship thereof. “There was an argument that being international meant being out of touch,” he began. “It was believed that local and national identities had the upper hand and therefore local and national media would kill off the international broadcaster.”

“Then came the major forces which underpin globalization: international security, migration, the concerns over climate change and the worries about the interconnectedness of the global economy,” he continued. “These issues, and many more, have made people realize that the forces that impact on their lives are not just about their village, their city, their country. They are international forces, ones that are not constrained by the nation state, not soluble by them.”

“Now audiences need both their national and international media to understand their world," he said. “Indeed this opportunity to debate and engage with people of similar interests wherever they live means there is only international media now.”

And somewhere in his remarks Sambrook – mentioned but not clearly reported by several sources – said something about broadcasting in Iran and West Asia not being very transparent nor free from censorship. One deputy of Isfahan’s governor reportedly walked out because of the remarks. Dr. Khojasteh also “disagreed,” reported ISNA, and invited Sambrook to a radio debate. Although the ABU said it “would try” to deliver timely news from the conference, that debate, if held, remains a mystery... like Iran.

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