The Islamist regime in Iran launched today its first 24-hour, satellite and internet-based English-language “news” channel, Press TV, in the presence of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Ezzatollah Zarghami, president of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).
Based in Tehran, Press TV claims it has 26 correspondents “located in the world’s most strategic places”. It is carried on frequencies available in Europe and the Americas. Its website is registered to al-Alam, the Iranian regime’s Arabic-language news channel also provided by the Iranian state broadcaster IRIB and known for advocating that “Jihad against the Jews is the only option”, or advising Muslims to read the infamous antisemitic forgery the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.
Press TV is staffed by Iranian and Western reporters, including what appears to be a large number of Britons. Its many women reporters, whether Iranian or not, all appear to be hijab-clad.
A sampling of the news channel’s programming suggests its goal is to build support for Iran’s radical Islamist political agenda by wrapping it in an “anti-imperialist” and “ anti-war” package suitable for Western audiences.
Indeed, speaking at its official launch ceremony, Ahmadinejad was hopeful the new state-controlled channel would cater to the needs of “those who seek perfection and global peace”, “stand beside the oppressed nations of the world”, offer an “accurate” image of Islam and Iran, and expose the “propaganda news networks of mankind’s enemies” in reference, presumably, to the Zionist-dominated media in which antisemitic cranks such as Ahmadinejad and his anti-imperialist fellow-travelers believe.
Already before its official launch, Press TV began reporting ludicrous items from the syro-iranian axis propaganda mill, such as an alleged foiled plot to kill Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah planned by Fatah, Saudi Arabia and Israel, no less.
In step with the Iranian revolution’s longstanding objective of annihilating Israel, Press TV wiped Israel from its feedback contact form, which otherwise allows users wishing to comment Press TV programming to identify their country of origin or residence. The list includes every other possible country, real or imaginary, such as one state called “Palestine”.
An egregious human rights offender where liberty of the press is inexistent as Tehran regularly shuts down reformist and pro-democracy media outlets and jails journalists who do not toe the line of the theocratic regime, the Islamic Republic of Iran bets it can act as a counterweight to the free press of the West.
Not a foolish bet considering the West has its share of useful idiots who consider the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated al-Jazeera to be a reliable news source.
View Press TV report on its inauguration:
Based in Tehran, Press TV claims it has 26 correspondents “located in the world’s most strategic places”. It is carried on frequencies available in Europe and the Americas. Its website is registered to al-Alam, the Iranian regime’s Arabic-language news channel also provided by the Iranian state broadcaster IRIB and known for advocating that “Jihad against the Jews is the only option”, or advising Muslims to read the infamous antisemitic forgery the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.
Press TV is staffed by Iranian and Western reporters, including what appears to be a large number of Britons. Its many women reporters, whether Iranian or not, all appear to be hijab-clad.
A sampling of the news channel’s programming suggests its goal is to build support for Iran’s radical Islamist political agenda by wrapping it in an “anti-imperialist” and “ anti-war” package suitable for Western audiences.
Indeed, speaking at its official launch ceremony, Ahmadinejad was hopeful the new state-controlled channel would cater to the needs of “those who seek perfection and global peace”, “stand beside the oppressed nations of the world”, offer an “accurate” image of Islam and Iran, and expose the “propaganda news networks of mankind’s enemies” in reference, presumably, to the Zionist-dominated media in which antisemitic cranks such as Ahmadinejad and his anti-imperialist fellow-travelers believe.
Already before its official launch, Press TV began reporting ludicrous items from the syro-iranian axis propaganda mill, such as an alleged foiled plot to kill Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah planned by Fatah, Saudi Arabia and Israel, no less.
In step with the Iranian revolution’s longstanding objective of annihilating Israel, Press TV wiped Israel from its feedback contact form, which otherwise allows users wishing to comment Press TV programming to identify their country of origin or residence. The list includes every other possible country, real or imaginary, such as one state called “Palestine”.
An egregious human rights offender where liberty of the press is inexistent as Tehran regularly shuts down reformist and pro-democracy media outlets and jails journalists who do not toe the line of the theocratic regime, the Islamic Republic of Iran bets it can act as a counterweight to the free press of the West.
Not a foolish bet considering the West has its share of useful idiots who consider the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated al-Jazeera to be a reliable news source.
View Press TV report on its inauguration:
No comments:
Post a Comment