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PRESS TV
PRESS TV logo
Typetelevision
AvailabilityInternational
OwnerIRIB
Key peopleShahab Mossavat, Yvonne Ridley
Official websitehttp://www.presstv.ir

PRESS TV is an English language international television news channel which is funded by the Iranian government, based in Tehran and broadcasts in English on a round-the-clock schedule. With 26 international correspondents and more than 400 staffs around the world, its stated mission is to offer a different and unbiased view of the world events.

History

The channel's website launched in late January 2007. Test satellite transmissions were conducted in late April 2007. The launch date for the channel was July 2, 2007.

Vision

Press TV intends to give a different view of the news than the Anglophone BBC World, CNN International and Qatar-based Al Jazeera English which grew in importance with the Iraq War. Press TV wants to put more emphasis on debate, dialogue and the role of cultural difference. It will also be competing with the recently launched Al Jazeera English, France 24 and Russia Today news channels.

Press TV has three mission statements; to break the global media stranglehold of western outlets, to bridge cultural divisions pragmatically, and to highlight the versatility and vitality of political and cultural differences, making up the human condition.

The policy makers of Press TV believe that since the 9/11 attacks, the world's media had divided into two camps: On the one side was the perspective offered by Western media, while the other side (al-Jazeera) was pro-Taleban and pro-al-Qaeda. The stated mission of PRESS TV is to offer a different view, unlike Al-Jazeera and western media (such as BBC and CNN).

Relationship to Iran

Press TV is funded by the government. According to Shahab Mossavat, Press TV director of communications, Press TV will keep its independence from the Iranian government. In an interview with NPR (National Public Radio), he emphasized that Press TV will be state-funded rather than state controlled. Another of Press TV's journalists, Mark Levine, stated that he is not being censored and will discuss current events with "uncompromising candor."

However, critics note that Iran has a poor record for freedom of speech. For example, as Press TV went on the air in early July 2007, Iran shut down several news outlets critical of the government. Press TV seldom criticizes the Iranian government and has provided little coverage of Iran's domestic troubles, but some commentators have been surprised by relatively neutral reporting on Iraq and the Middle East. Press TV is praised for letting guests speak their mind, but commentators have criticized the network presenting highly dubious reports and analysis with no plausible evidence to back them up.

The annual budget of Press TV is 250 billion Rials (more than 250 million dollars).

Journalists

Mohammad Sarafraz, head of the new channel, said most of Press TV's 30 journalists were non-Iranians, and included many Britons as well as Americans. The channel will have correspondents in London, New York, Washington, Beirut, Damascus, Moscow and several other European capitals, as well as three correspondents covering the Israel-Palestine conflict from Gaza, Ramallah and Jerusalem. Mr Sarafraz said training had been provided by a BBC employee.

The most well-known face at the London bureau, based in Ealing, is Yvonne Ridley, the former Sunday Express journalist who converted to Islam after being captured by the Taliban in 2001.

Programs

See also

References

  1. ^ "Iran launches English TV channel". bbc.co.uk. 2007-07-02. Retrieved 2007-08-06.
  2. Iran to launch press TV
  3. ISNA (2007-01-24). "IRIB-Iran launches Press TV website". Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 2007-06-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  4. The Associated Press (2007-06-26). "Iran Launches English Satellite Channel". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-06-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  5. Press TV Vision
  6. Yahoo News Article on Press TV accessed 08-02-2007
  7. International Herald Tribute article on Press TV 07-02-2007
  8. Iran's Press TV to Rival Western Media (Audio file)
  9. ^ "Mark is now on International Television". Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  10. ^ Michael Petrou (2007-07-30). "Iran: Not the most reliable source: It's pretty obvious the Iranian government is tuning in to the country's just-launched 24-hour news channel". macleans.ca. Retrieved 2007-08-06.
  11. Ramin Mostaghim and Borzou Daragahi (2007-07-13). "Iran's Press TV to give alternative view: The 24-hour satellite news channel will compete with Western outlets to counter what Tehran sees as propaganda". latimes.com. Retrieved 2007-08-06.
  12. ^ Oliver Burkeman, Helen Pidd and Robert Tait (2007-07-03). "An antidote to Fox: Iran launches English TV channel". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2007-08-06.
  13. Mehr News article on Press TV

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