U.S. plans to expand TV broadcasts to Iran

[ckramer]

The Bush administration is planning to expand its Persian-language satellite-television broadcasts to Iran as part of an initiative to press for democratic reforms in the Islamic Republic, officials say.

As U.S. President George W. Bush ponders incentives to encourage Tehran to abandon its nuclear ambitions, Voice of America plans to go from a 30-minute to a four-hour daily news and information broadcast to Iran within the next few months.

"Iran is an information-deprived society, much like the former Soviet Union," said Kenneth Tomlinson, chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the federal agency that oversees international civilian broadcasts including VOA.

"A large percentage (of Iranians) appear to be thirsting for information," he added. "What we propose to do is exactly what Radio Free Europe, Voice of America and Radio Liberty did in the Cold War, and that is provide a window on the world."

reuters

[bemildred]

1. Oh goody , Sponge Bob in Persian. nt

[Newsjock]

2. OK, so riddle me this...

We are free to "expand our satellite broadcasts" into all these "unclean" nations because the rest of the world has access to "freeview" satellite systems where anyone with the proper receiver can get a selection of satellite channels without going through a company like DirecTV?

How do we avoid conflicting with other satellite signals? How do people "find" the U.S. channels?

And, more importantly, why can't the rest of the world -- I'm thinking BBC, CBC, and Al-Jazeera here -- start satellite broadcasts into the USA using similar technology? There needs to be a way to have satellite TV that doesn't require DirecTV or Dish, or has someone gone and made that illegal here?

After all, I get my satellite TV from Canada -- the company thinks I live in Vancouver. But that's still not "freeview," and it's not a practical option for most.

Help me out here -- why can't the rest of the world do to us what we're doing to them?

[0007]

4. We're on a one way street Newsjock and the crime cabal czar

makes up the rules as they fit the need.

Any common sense for the common people will be overruled.

[malmapus]

3. Actually isn't there already a station that broadcasts into Iran...

I could of sworn like a couple years ago on like 20/20 I saw a report on a privately owned station that was run and operated and even paid for by Iranians living abroad that transmitted into Iran proper.

Got to the point where the Iranian gov't even "barred" people from watching it, well in writing. But that Iranians were actually tuning into this station (grrr I wish I could remember more details).

But basically I think in the end the people that were running it were running low on cash to keep it going, but instead of us setting up what will no doubt be taken as more Imperial US propaganda, gov't should just fund those people if they still around since they have / had a following in Iran already.