Holding Back the Flow of Information
The Iranian state, like Chinese state, faces the formidable task of controlling the flow of information into the country.A crackdown on media access in Iran may be related to upcoming elections. That assertion is supported by an article from Asia Times Online, Ahmadinejad's domestic troubles: "A political analyst in Tehran said: 'Dissatisfaction with the administration of President Ahmadinejad is not yet widespread, but it is growing fast...'"
This from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Iran: State Media Control Extends To Provinces, Airwaves
"Iranian government efforts to steer public perceptions through media restrictions are not limited to mainstream newspapers in the capital. Provincial publications and journalists face mounting official pressure -- especially among those dealing with minority affairs. Official provincial television broadcasts are changing, too, in a campaign that coincides with a national campaign to curb access to foreign satellite broadcasts...
"But these most recent developments could be part of an effort to direct reporting on the nuclear controversy and influence upcoming elections to the Assembly of Experts and municipal councils, scheduled for December 15.
"Press closures and official persecution of journalists occurs in the outlying provinces as well as in the capital, Tehran.
"Cases affecting minorities are a particular concern for the administration, which in the past year has seen increasing unrest in regions inhabited by ethnic Arabs, Azeris, Baluchis, Kurds, and others...
"Television has significant reach in Iran. In a recent poll, more than 90 percent of the population said it watched television the previous day -- that compared with just 30 percent who listened to radio and 31 percent who read a newspaper. More than 90 percent identified local television stations as one of their top three news sources.
"There is no private television in Iran. State television has seven channels that broadcast domestically...
"To get more entertainment and access something other than the official news, many Iranians enjoy watching satellite broadcasts -- although possession of the equipment has been illegal since the mid-1990s.
"Iran's legislature began consideration of a new bill on satellite-reception equipment in the spring. The draft would make producing, importing, or distributing such equipment illegal. It would also authorize the police and the IRGC's Basij to confiscate the equipment...
"Confiscation of dishes in Tehran got under way in August, and there were reports of confiscations in provincial cities -- including Isfahan, Rasht, Sanandaj, and Shiraz -- in July. On September 7 in the southern city of Abadan, police announced that they had confiscated more than 100 sets of satellite-receiving equipment, Fars News Agency reported."
If you're looking at this issue, you might also want to read these RFE/RL reports
- from September 29, Iran: Government Strengthens Its Control Of The Internet
- from September 26, Iran: Government Tightens Clamps On Press
- from July 28, Iran: Radio Farda Interview With Dissident Akbar Ganji
posted by Ken Wedding @ 10:34 AM
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