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BBC and IRI, a showdown
22-Jan-2009
News from and about Iran seldom makes me smile anymore. It’s just not funny. At all. I still look at the news and dive into many articles and news pieces about Iran, but usually to depressing effect. A piece of news actually made me smile today, albeit with dark humor.
After a whole year of planning, careful preparation, recruitment, training, and program taping procured with a $23 million budget, amid much hoopla and jubilation, BBC Farsi Television started its work last week. Their aim has been to reach 100 million Farsi speaking people in the world, adding to BBC’s already extensive network of programming in different languages. I suppose champagne bottles were opened at and around BBC offices in London, and media well-wishers gathered to congratulate the rollout of the new station. Everything was coming along nicely until a small glitch happened yesterday. Well, you see, 70 million of those 100 million people live inside Iran, under the rule of one Islamic Republic of Iran. To have any meaningful programming for them, BBC Persian would sort of need to have reporters and technical staff present in, well, Iran. This is where BBC Persian’s troubles are starting.
Iranian Culture Minister Mohammad Hossein Saffar Harandi announced yesterday that “the Farsi-language BBC channel is banned from ‘presence and making field reports in Iran’ and warned local journalists against cooperating with it.” Oops! That can’t sound good to BBC people! His reasoning for this decision was that “this Persian channel is not planned with good intentions and they reflect the same issues differently in Persian and English services." Well, it wouldn't be really strange for BBC to broadcast news in English in one way and the same news differently in Farsi, would it?!! What does Mr. Saffar Harandi think? That IRIB is the only broadcasting agency that broadcasts some news for internal consumption and some for external?! The real killer for the BBC folks is this morsel of wisdom from the keeper of culture and guidance in Iran: "BBC English channel will be confronted if it abuses its legal rights by producing reports for BBC Persian…” and lest anybody forgets just how intimidating this ex-military/Ministry of Information top guy really is, he went on to say: “and we are continually on watch for that.” Get it?!
These guys mean business! I mean, who do the BBC think they are, making all these plans without first making sure that they can station a team of journalists to feed information to them, seeking appropriate permissions from IRIB authorities? And who do they think they’re dealing with here? This is the by-now-very-improved-Islamic Republic of Iran! The same folks who some say came to and stayed in power through the help of no other than the BBC radio! They should know the power of this particular medium! Mr. Saffar Harandi is no fool and seems to remember things really well, too. He said: "BBC and Britain have a clear record of inciting unrest and provoking different groups against each other in countries." Now do you believe me when I say they are a lot smarter than they look (and often act)?
So, there you have it folks, the long established Tehran Bureau of the BBC has been told to keep away from aiding and abetting BBC Persian Television to produce programming in and about Iran, or else!
Well, we all know that it is perfectly possible for television stations that have no representation in Iran to do their work and get their programs produced. From the klunky, dar-e-peetee Los Angeles satellite stations to Voice of America Television, hundreds of programs are produced and aimed daily at the aforementioned 70 million people inside Iran (I guess that also includes babies and children, but the programming is usually so infantile, even those little guys will be able to be its target market). BBC Persian Television will just have to do it like everybody else to ensure the safe continued reporting of other BBC staff in Iran.
I am amused, because Iranians have known about censorship and limitations on reporting and freedom of the press very well for ever and most particularly over the past 30 years. It was about time the British got a taste of IRI’s brand of “culture” and “guidance.” This was an amusing news day for me!
//www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iVDndTSvymJSPzu493OgP8HhRX1w
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Az mast ke bar mast
by Rooh e Mosadeq (not verified) on Sat Jan 24, 2009 11:43 AM PSTDoostne Gerammi,
Man yek toseyeh be shoma daram agar mikhahid darigh bashad ke iran viran shavad....
Va Ann iinkeh
Vatan and Sherafetetan ra be hich be namoss and madar jendaie nafroshid...pool,ghodrat shohrat mandegar nistand anche mandegar ast asliyat va sherafatetan ast...
Amir kabir,mosadeq va Takhti var zendegi konid...
Khoda ba mast
Tanha dar Ahmadabad
My opinion
by amirkabear4u on Sat Jan 24, 2009 03:07 AM PSTI agree in that why are they doing this now. Yes british are running out of cash but starting a TV channels needs preparation. May need some time to prepare. Do not mean to be rude but Iranians are also involved which means this preparation takes even longer. It is possible they thought would be even more costly to let it go with credit crunch. They started it a while ago might as well finish it.
One other point is that this BBC possibly had a lot of unused older equipments anyway, just for the sake of marketing they did a quick calculation regarding their expenses. In other words it was not as costly as if they had to start a new channel for their own english speaking viewers. Between me and you, a lot of those ladies and gents who are broadcasting farsi with a hint of accent, probably where already being paid by her majesty's (secret) service anyway.
But this is my business judgement. When it comes to the brits you need to dig deep and far. Even though I found some of their politics have no logic but by digging deep one comes to interesting conclusions. The following is my opinion about it;
- They probably planning, with their american friends, to start talking to Iran. It is their beleive that Iranian hard liners trust the brits more than americans. By having this channel they show the events better as a lot of people my not watch US channels. Also a lot of people in Iran already know about this new channel. As I said before some of their politics have no logic, in fact I think Iranian trust the americans more. The new president can not do anything unless Iranian and their government want too, this is the reason to start now.
- It is also possible they expect a change in Iranian leadership. Therefore it is possible that they are preparing themselves. Radio is not as effective as TV.
BUT MOST importantly what is the bigh deal? In 19th century, yes over 100 years ago, this government had embassy or presentation in main Iranian cities including in Mashhad. This is just another more.
Some one said it beautifully
by MRX1 on Fri Jan 23, 2009 07:15 AM PSTBrittain is on the edge of the bankrupcy yet it spents millions in creating T.V programs for IRI. You notice liberal idiots over there are not complaining about this kind of money being spent on foreign broadcast. Boycott BBC. I saluet Amir kabir, no wonder the Britts killed you!
Role of BBC in installing the Mullahs
by Read (not verified) on Thu Jan 22, 2009 03:03 PM PSTWhat really happened to the Shah of Iran and the role of BBC in manufacturing the coup of 1979:
1. "A century of war":
//www.amazon.com/Century-War-Anglo-American-P...
Read some of Excerpts from the book,
//www.payvand.com/news/06/mar/1090.html
Bravo Amir Kabirs
by darkesthours (not verified) on Thu Jan 22, 2009 11:15 AM PSTAmir Kabir: Most sobering analysis and brilliantly spot on. Please make this into a separate blog. thank you.
All Amir Kabirs Welcome!
by News Goffer on Thu Jan 22, 2009 11:09 AM PSTDear amirkabir4u: The Amir Kabir with the variable name already left me his comment! It's your turn now! Please do share. You should know that as an oldtimer, I have enjoyed running into your comments on different threads, many times agreeing with you, but at all times appreciating your honest and straightforward reactions to issues.
I want to say something about Amir Kabir with a variable not verified name. I have found him to be extremely intelligent and very funny. I know his humor, wisdom, and love for Iran is lost on a lot of people who react in unkind ways to what he is saying sometimes. I do search and read his comments and "dig" them. He is one of my most favorite not verified commentators!
To Amirkabir
by Daee jaan Napoleon was right (not verified) on Thu Jan 22, 2009 10:39 AM PSTGol gofti Agha AmirKabir.
I was quite surprised to find out that the British government, in this harsh economic environment and with so much shortage of funds and bankruptcy in England, spent so many millions of pounds for this Farsi broadcasting TV.
Why would any government in their right mind invest so much money in a televisisn network, to broadcast news in a language other than their own for a country/ies other than their own, if they do not have some ulterior motives?
I have noticed that that they report the news pretty much with the same content and degree of censorship as the IR government controlled media do inside. so why waste so much money to say the same things twice!!
To News Goffer
by amirkabear4u on Thu Jan 22, 2009 09:47 AM PSTExcuse me which one are you talking about as there are at least 2 on this site.
بی بی سی دروغ نمیگه
نوکر انگلیسا (not verified)Thu Jan 22, 2009 09:37 AM PST
اما همیشه راستشم رو کامل نمیگه. سیاست دولت فخیمه و دوستدارانش، که بنده هم افتخارش نصیبم شده اینه که ملت شناسیم. به محض اینکه یه ملت خر پیدا می‌‌کنیم می‌‌پریم سوارشون میشیم. الان سی ساله که داریم سواری مفت می‌‌گیریم. بنگاه سخن پراکنی بی بی سی فقط کارش اینه که خرا رو با هم متحد کنه، همین. حالا هی عر عر کنید و جفتک بندازین. فعلا که ما بر خر مراد سواریم.
خدا سلامت بداره همه دوستداران انگلیسو اگه زنده اند و نور ببارونه به قبر همه شون اگه به لقا الله پیوستند.
میرزا آقا خان نوری
خرید و فروش آزادی و سایر معاملات
امیر کبیر میداند هدف انگلیس دراز مدت است (not verified)Thu Jan 22, 2009 09:34 AM PST
دولت ایران در آچمز سیاسی و اقتصادی قرار گرفته و هر قدمی که بر میدارد دو قدم پس میرود. خودش با تبلیغ برای "بی بی سی" قبر خود را میکند همانطور که شاه قبر خود را زمانی حفر کرد که با انگلیس در افتاد.
وقتی حکومتی بیاید و اساس آزادی ها را از مردمش بگیرد بناچار آن مردم به شایعات توجه میکنند. مردم ایران تشنه شنیدن یک کلمه حقیقت هستند و در سیصد سال گدشته ایرانی یک کلمه راست از دولتش نشنیده است.
بی بی سی اکنون دریچه ایران است بدنیای آزاد. از این مطلب انگلیس کمال سوء استفاده را کرده و خواهد کرد. یعنی برنامه هایش بقدری حساب شده هستند که حداقل پنجاه در صد مطالب آنرا بدون غرض ورزی ارائه میدهد. گرسنگی در آفریقا، انتخابات در آمریکا، خوابیدن این هنرپیشه با دیگری و غیره و از این قبیل. فقط به ایران که میرسد اخبار شکل دیگر میگیرند و همگی در موازای خط امام و ملکه الیزابت قرار میگیرند.
مردم ساده همه تخم سیاست و کیاست که نخورده اند. شب بخانه میایند و به رادیو دولت انگلیس گوش میکنند و ذغال سینه کفتری را به حقه وافور نزدیک میکنند و پکی عمیق میزنند و به آهنگهای ایرانی گوش میکنند و در ظمن متوجه میشوند بی بی سی بدون هیچ دوز و کلکی اخبار ایران را بهمان صورت میگوید که خود رادیو ایران نیز ارائه میدهد. بی بی سی هم همین را میخواهد. این روش "کاندیشنینگ" و یا آماده سازی، در روانشناسی استثمار نقش بسیار مهمی دارد.
دولت انگلیس میلیونها دلار خرج این رادیو خواهد کرد فقط برای آنکه گوش مردم ایران را دربست در اختیار بگیرد برای آنروزی که جمهوری اسلامی، این نوکران بدون دستمزد انگلیس یک عمل خلاف کنند، یک کلمه بالاتر از دهانشان حرف بزنند، یک سرپیچی از انجام فرامین انگلیس کنند و آنگاه است که دو شیر استثمار انگلیس بغرش در میایند و تار پود متمردان را پاره خواهند کرد و در عین حال هر ایرانی وطنپرستی هم که برای نجات ایران از دست ملاها و بی بی سی برخیزد انگلیس او را هم خواهد کوبید تا نوکر بعدی که اکنون در آب نمک خوابیده و دارد کون گنده میکند بسر کار گمارده شود.
نتیجه آنکه تا ملت خون ندهد زالوی انگلیس از بدن لاجون ایرانی جدا نخواهد شد. بزرگترین بدبختی ما جمهوری اسلامی نیست، بدبختی ما آنستکه حاضر شدیم و همیشه آماده ایم تا آزادی را با قیمت مناسب بفروشیم به امید آنکه در کوچه پس کوچه ها و در تاریکی شب آنرا به قیمت ارزانتر بخریم.
آری اینست سرنوشت ملتی که تنها تولید ملی اش خرید و فروش املاک و مستقلات است و معامله آزادی فرندانش با اجانب.
اگر دولت ایران واقعا با انگلیس مخالف است، چرا نمیاید و یک سری قتلهای زنجیره ای هم برای دفع و نابودی انگلیسها و جاسوسانشان در ایران ترتیب دهد؟ چرا قتلهای زنجیره ای باید فقط شامل اتباع ایرانی باشد؟ مگر نه آنکه ایرانیان همه رای "آری" دادند!
روزهای تاریکی در پیش است وایرنیان باید متحد شوند.
To News Goffer: Harandi's talking from experience
by Advisor (not verified) on Thu Jan 22, 2009 08:24 AM PSTu said "Harandi said: "BBC and Britain have a clear record of inciting unrest and provoking different groups against each other in countries." Now do you believe me when I say they are a lot smarter than they look (and often act)?"
He's not being smart, he's talking from experience. he was in the midst of the revolution on the mullahs' side, an inside man and knows very well (a lot more than outsiders) how much BBC's help was essential in them gaining power in Iran.
Besides, Britain should know that their turbaned servants (nokar) will not remain servants (nokar) for ever, specially now that two of mullahs' fiercest strongest enemies in Iran's neigborhood are gone, thanks to Dubya and mullahs have all those terrorist groups as their protégés in the ME which will come to their rescue when mullahs need them and might unfortunately but very possibly wreak havoc on the world.
BBC quite behaves herself not to upset mullahs in any way
by Don't be fooled (not verified) on Thu Jan 22, 2009 07:49 AM PSTجمهوری اسلامی دارد با «اتهام زنی» علیه برنامه ی تلویزیونی بی بی سی برای آن بازار گرمی می کند تا توجه مردم را به آن جلب کند. این شبکه در برنامه های خود به عنوان سیمای برونمرزی جمهوری اسلامی عمل می کند و در حالی که مردم ایران در خفقان سیاسی بسر می برند، و کشور در آستانه ی فروپاشی نهائی اقتصادی و فرهنگی و اجتماعی قرار دارد، بی بی سی برنامه هائی در زمینه ی عمل جراحی بینی در ایران یا رانندگان زن در تاکسی های تهران و موضوعات انحرافی دیگر پخش می کند. حکومت ایران می کوشد با طرح چهره ای مخالف برای بی بی سی توجه مردم ایران را به آن معطوف کند، تا مردم به آن شبکه اعتماد کنند و آن شبکه بتواند به بقاء دین و تشیع و آخوندیسم در ایران دامن بزند. البته بسیار زیرکانه و حساب شده.
I couldn't care less about
by MCHammer (not verified) on Thu Jan 22, 2009 07:31 AM PSTI couldn't care less about the Brits. They can go to hell and take BBC with them. I'm happy I didn't waste too much time reading your article. What vested interest do you have in BBC ? Are you somehow on their payroll ?
Amir Kabir...
by News Goffer on Thu Jan 22, 2009 01:35 AM PSTCan't wait to hear what you have to say about this!