Middle East News

Ahmadinejad launches Iran's first English-language news network

Jul 2, 2007, 19:57 GMT

Tehran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday inaugurated Iran's first 24-hour English-language news network called Press TV which is affiliated to IRIB state television. 'We have to enter the world media scene for confronting the today's Western media which serves as a tool for global imperialism,' Ahmadinejad said during the inauguration ceremony. 'The newly born Press TV should be besides the oppressed nations of the world and defend them and at the same time be a symbol for reliable news coverage,' the president added. The Press TV network with a total of 400 reporters, including 26 correspondents abroad as well as a number of freelancers, aims to break the influence of Western media by offering a different and 'unbiased' view of the news. IRIB has already launched the 24-hour network Khabar in Farsi, and Press TV is supposed to become an alternative to the Western press and media. Iranian officials frequently blame Western media and press for allegedly carrying distorted news about Iran and accuse them of being a tool for Western powers. The main offices of Press TV are located in London, New York, Washington and Damascus, but the network will also have coverage in the Palestinian territories and the United States. The programmes are to be broadcast via satellite but cannot be viewed by Iranians themselves as satellite dishes are banned in Iran. Most Iranians ignore the ban. Press TV head Mohammad Sarafraz said that the network is state- run, but not state-managed and claimed it had its own guidelines. © 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

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Dave ThomasJul 3rd, 2007 - 07:42:42

Now the President of Iran can give play-by-play of the stoning of women in public squares in English. What progress!

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brianJul 4th, 2007 - 21:20:32

well the americans were very quick to show the execution of a president before he got a chance to drop them in it for supplying him the wmd he used to kill the kurds. Who is more civilised? America I dont think so.

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