Clandestine Radio Watch 138
--------------xxxxxxxxxx CRW 138 xxxxxxxxxx--------------
CLANDESTINE RADIO WATCH
July 17, 2003
Clandestine Radio Watch (CRW) is a biweekly summary which centralizes the
latest news and developments affecting the study of clandestine radio in
an easy-to-read format. Editions are published on the CRW web site.
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and verification info, as well as background material can be sent to us.
CRW issues may also contain parts in other languages and the issues may
even contain 'clandestine radio related' news and stories.
CRW Team :
Editor-in-Chief : Martin Schoech, Merseburg
Correspondents : Achraf Chaabane, Sfax
Nick Grace C., Washington
Robertas Petraitis, Klaipeda
Takuya Hirayama, Tokyo
Next issue - CRW 139 : July 31, 2003
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"Freedom of information is ... the touchstone of all the freedoms."
(UN Freedom of Information Conference, 1948)
------------xxxxxxxxxx Breaking News xxxxxxxxxx----------------
PNG : Radio Independent Me'ekamui back on air
IRAN : U.S. Begins TV Broadcasts to Iran
IRAN : Iran Paid Cuban Experts to Disrupt Satellite
...............................................................
PNG : Radio Independent Me'ekamui back on air
Me'ekamui Government hardliners' statement / RADIO INDEPENDENT ME'EKAMUI
back on air
Dear Friends and Supporters,
Hello and greetings from Me'ekamui Government hardliners in the Solomon
Islands [Honiara].
Francis Ona still remains the wild card in the eyes of the PNG Government
and their supporters and funders. We are still fighting for
self-determination or independence with not going through step by step,
meaning Autonomy or State Government rather than Independence. We believe
that the system of going through step by step will not get anywhere or at
last we will go back to PNG. Therefore, our stand is that if anybody or
any government wants to negotiate with us, they must negotiate
independence, no more no less.
RADIO INDEPENDENT ME'EKAMUI is back on air again after been off air for
some time. Crucial parts have been brought across in the middle of last
month, and reception is very clear here in the Solomons.
Me'ekamui Government hardliners
(via M.Watts-AUS Jul 1, 2003 in PNGSA-ML for CRW)
...............................................................
IRAN : U.S. Begins TV Broadcasts to Iran
U.S. Begins TV Broadcasts to Iran
PBS NewsHour
July 7, 2003
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/media/media_watch/july-dec03/iran_07-07.html
The U.S. government launched a new Persian-language television broadcast
in Iran on Sunday, beaming 30-minute nightly newscasts to the millions of
Iranians watching satellite television.
The Voice of America-produced program, News & Views, will be broadcasted
across Iran by satellite from 9:30 pm to 10:00 PM local time, featuring
original news reporting and aimed at Iran's younger population.
The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), which oversees all U.S.
international nonmilitary broadcasting, including VOA, decided to launch
the program after student protests against the Iranian government last
month.
Kenneth Tomlinson, chairman of the BBG, said the new program intends to
provide Iranians with an alternative to government-controlled newscasts.
"By reporting what's happening in Iran today, we can help further the
struggle for freedom and self-determination in Iran," Tomlinson said in a
press statement July 3.
"If ever there was a time when the people of Iran need sound, factual
reporting on their country, it is now."
The program includes world news summaries, analysis of issues and events
and cultural features. The new show will feature reports contributed from
inside Iran, as well as Washington, New York, Los Angeles and around the
world.
The BBG already broadcasts two weekly television programs in Farsi:
Roundtable with You, a 90-minute discussion show, and Next Chapter, a
weekly newsmagazine. The BBG also funds Radio Farda, a 24-hour,
seven-day-a-week, youth-oriented Persian-language radio service.
News & Views, scheduled to run through at least September 30, is expected
to cost up to $500,000 and will use existing VOA staff and Radio Farda
stringers in Iran.
Satellite television -- while banned by the Iranian government -- is a
top source of news in Iran, where some 70 percent of the population,
roughly 67 million people, is under 30.
American officials hope the new U.S.-funded broadcast will complement the
work of the National Iranian Television, NITV, a satellite channel
operated by Iranian exiles based in Los Angeles, Calif. Iranian clerics
have blamed NITV's 24-hour daily broadcasts for fomenting dissent and
student protests last month.
The Iranian government has also accused the U.S. of bankrolling the NITV
and of using the new program to interfere in its internal affairs.
U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher last week rejected Iran's
allegations that the U.S. sought to intervene through its new satellite
broadcast.
"We don't consider that providing information is getting involved or
interfering in anything," Boucher said at a briefing July 3.
"The Voice of America provides information. It's a standard tool of our
public diplomacy to help inform people overseas," Boucher added.
The show's premiere of News & Views included the first of a special
series of reports on events leading up to the fourth anniversary of the
Iranian government's July 9, 1999 violent crackdown on student uprisings
in Iran.
Fearing more student protests this week, Iranian authorities have banned
rallies for Wednesday July 9, postponed university examinations, and
closed dormitories, the British Guardian reported Monday.
(PBS NewsHour Jul 7, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
...............................................................
IRAN : Iran Paid Cuban Experts to Disrupt Satellite
DEBKAfile Special Report
July 9, 2003
The ruling mullahs also managed, in a move unprecedented in the annals of
broadcasting, to jam the signals that Farsi-language television stations
in Los Angeles send via ground stations to satellites that beam the
anti-government programs into Iran. The tactic was a departure from
partially successful attempts in the past to block transmissions from the
satellites themselves, jamming that touched off protests by ordinary
Iranians and even reformists. This time, DEBKAfile's sources report, Iran
paid Cuban experts handsome fees to disrupt the uplink itself, stopping
even exiled Iranians in Canada and Europe from tuning in.
The United States has not protested this violation of its airwaves,
although owners of the Farsi-language television stations in Los Angeles
intend to complain to President George W. Bush and demand an inquiry.
(Excerpted from "Tehran Police Drive Wedge between Islamic Vigilantes and
Students") http://www.debka.com/article.php?aid=520
(DEBKAfile Jul 9, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
------------xxxxxxxxxx Schedules xxxxxxxxxx--------------------
Schedules - IRAN
Radio Sedaye Yaran
New time and freq for R.Sedoye Yaran in Persian via KVI 250 095 deg
1630-1830 Mon-Sat NF 15790 (55544), ex 1800-2000 on 7525
(Observer-BUL 267 Jul 8, 2003 via W.Büschel-D for CRW)
Voice of Iran
Freqs change for Voice of Iran in Persian via ISS 500 kW / 090 deg:
1530-1730 NF 15750*, ex 17525
* strong co-ch Bible Voice Broadcasting Network /BVBN/ via JUL 100 kW /
115 deg:
1615-1730 Mon-Fri in Arabic
1700-1730 Sat/Sun in English
(Observer-BUL 267 Jul 8, 2003 via W.Büschel-D for CRW)
...............................................................
Schedules - IRAQ
Iraq Media Network
Iraq Media Network (a.k.a. V. of New Iraq or V. of Free Iraq), which the
US is trying to establish as the new Iraqi national broadcaster, is
reportedly now on air from 0400 to 2100 on 756, 909 and 1026 kHz as well
as on FM, including 98.3 MHz in Baghdad
(J.Weston-G Medium Wave Report in July BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD
3-118)
------------xxxxxxxxxx Logs xxxxxxxxxx-------------------------
Logs - CUBA
Radio Marti
Radio Marti 7365 - noted with a rap thing at 0215. Castro's days are
surely numbered now! WRMI-7385 at 0220 free of Cuban jamming.
(G.Dexter-WI-USA Jul 13 (?), 2003 in DXplorer-ML)
...............................................................
Logs - ETHIOPIA
Dejen R
12120 Dejen R. Jul 5 *1702-1710 44444 Tigrigna, 1702 s/on with local
music. ID and opening announce. Talk.
(K.Hashimoto-J Jul 5, 2003 in JAP 272)
Voice of Ethiopian Medhin
12120 Voice of Ethiopian Medhin, 1830+, July 06. Transmission in amharic.
S/onn. Flaute sound (very nice). Very clear identification by female.
Music. News or talk by male. 34443. Best reception after 1900 UTC.
(A.L.Slaen-ARG Jul 06, 2003 in HCDX-ML)
...............................................................
Logs - IRAN
Radio Farda
Sunday evening at 2100 reception of R. Farda on 1170 was good for a while
with excellent audio, but now there is also jamming, a strong and
somewhat buzzy carrier on 1168.0 with a bubble jammer in the background
of this carrier. No jamming heard on 1170
(O.Alm-S Jul 6, 2003 in DXLD 3-121)
Radio Payam-E-Doost
7460, R.Payam-E-Doost, 0304-0315*, 10/07, Farsi?, OM and YL w/ tlks,
instrumental mx w/ flutes followed by OM w/ "PO Box 765, Great Falls,
VA-USA" address, tlks over light orchestra mx until 0315 s/off.
Fair/poor, fading under RTTY QRM.
(S.R.Barbour Jr-NH-USA Jul 10, 2003 in CDX-ML)
With all due respect, Scott, R.Payam-E-Doost isn't a clandestine. It is a
Bahai religious program directed to Iran. Some sources seem to think that
every program directed to Iran from abroad must be a clandestine, but
they are wrong.
(H.Johnson-USA Jul 10, 2003 in CDX-ML)
Some sources also seem to think the same about all programs directed to
Nigeria (ref. to Salama R, R Jakada Int). Please do not regard CRW as a
judge in this case. The apperance of a station in CRW doe not mean its a
clandestine station. Of course CRW intends to report about clandestines
but we also include a few 'questioneable' stations. Unless we really
understand the content of these broadcasts we DXers can not decide this
question. See earlier discussions reg. Falun Dafa Radio to China or Chan
Troi Moi to Vietnam, in both cases we received different descriptions
about the political content of these broadcasts ..
(M.Schöch-D Jul 11, 2003 for CRW)
OK, but it is a Bahai religous program, surely it isn't even a
questionable station. It would only take a bit of monitoring to see that
it isn't jammed so the Iranian government certainly isn't bothered by it.
They also have a website for all to see. Way too many DX publications
consider any brokered program a clandestine. May I suggest that it not be
a clandestine until proven instead listing it as a clandestine until
proved otherwise was is the case now.
(H.Johnson-USA Jul 12, 2003 for CRW)
Voice of Iran
15750 KRSI (from France) with ID by woman at 1605. Decent signal, but
plenty of jamming.
(H.Johnson-USA via Javaradio Europe Jul 8, 2003 in CDX-ML)
Voice of Mojahed
Voice of Mojahed (presumed) observed on July 7: 0300 -0510 and 1400-1725
on 4650, 5350, 5650, 6450, 6750, 7010, 7750, 8280, 8550, 8950, 9250 with
talks in Persian and jammed by Iran.
(R.Pankov-BUL Jul 7, 2003 in BCDX 629)
Diverse
Clandestine broadcasts towards Iran by political opposition groups
3880 Voice of Iranian Revolution, possibly via Kazakhstan
0230-0330 1430-1530 Kurdish. ID: ``Dangi shurashi Iranya
Kurdistana``. S/on: ``The Internationale``. Produced by the
Kurdish Communist Party of Iran (Komalah) (to Iran) // 4380v, d
3875,7–3880,8. Not reported since Feb. 2003
3880 Voice of the Communist Party of Iran, possibly via Kazakhstan
0400-0500 1630-1730 Farsi // 4380v, ID: ``Seda-ye Hezb-e
Komunist-e Irana``, ``Radyo Komalah``. Opens and closes with
``The Internationale``. Produced by the Kurdish Communist Party
of Iran (Komalah) (to Iran), d 3870 - 3890.2
3930 Voice of Komala 0225-0300 1555-1700v Kurdish, ID: ``Eira dengi
Komala, dengi azadi e socializmu`` (Voice of Komala, Voice of
Freedom and Socialism``). 0300-0330 1700v-1730v Farsi, ID:
`Radio Komala`` and ``In seda-ye Radio Payama, Radio Payam-seda-
ye parezgaran-e azadi Kordestana, sada-ye amnestizi y irbayda
Iran, seda-ye azadi e socializmu.`` (To Iran) // 4610v. Produced
by a faction separated from Komalah, ck 3900. Not daily, d 3925-
3935. Jammed. Not reported since April 2003.
3975 Voice of Iranian Kurdistan, Al-Sulaymaniyah, No. Iraq 0200-0400
1330-1500 Kurdish, ID: ``Aira dangi Kurdistan Irana``, 0400-0430
1500-1530 Farsi ID: ``Seda-ye Kordestan-e Iran``, (to Iran).
Produced by the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, Canada.
Ex 3985. Not reported since 27 March 2003
4380 Voice of Iranian Revolution, possibly via Kazakhstan 0230-0330
1430-1530 Kurdish // 3880 (ID + details), (to Iran), d 4370-
4380,8
4380 Voice of the Communist Party of Iran, possibly via Kazakhstan
0400-0500 1630-1730 Farsi // 3880 (ID + details); d 4365,6 -
4380,8. Not reported since March 2003
4610 Voice of Komala 0225-0300 1555-1700v Kurdish, 0300-0330 1700-
1730v Farsi // 3930v(ID) 6810, (to Iran). Not daily; d 4600-
4625. Jammed. Not reported since April 03
4650 Voice of Mojahed 0127-0535 1058-1135 1327-1732 Farsi, ID:``Sedy-
ye Mojahed, seda-ye Mojahedine Khalq Iran``, ``Inja Radio Seda-
ye Mojahed ast`` (= This is Radio Voice of the Crusader).
Jumping in steps of 5 kHz to avoid jammer, d 4620- 4690 // 5350v
5650v 6450v 6750v 6950v 7050v 8250v 8350v 8600v 8850v and 9250v.
Was off the air Apr-May 2003, but is now back from unknown site.
5350 Voice of Mojahed 0127-0535 1058-1135 1327-1732 Farsi, ck 4650v
(ID + details), d 5270-5380
5650 Voice of Mojahed 0127-0535 1058-1135 1327-1732 Farsi, ck 4650v
(ID + details), d 5630-5680
5900 Voice of Iraqi People, Iraqi Kurdistan 0300-0430 1630-1900v A //
3900v (ID), to Iraq, d 5883–5905
6450 Voice of Mojahed 0127-0535 1058-1135 1327-1732 Farsi,ck 4650v
(ID + details),d 6420 - 6480
6750 Voice of Mojahed 0127-0535 1327-1732 Farsi, ck 4650v (ID +
details), d 6720 - 6790
6950 Voice of Mojahed 0127-0535 1058-1135 1327-1732 Farsi, ck 4650v
(ID + details), d 6920 - 6990
7050 Voice of Mojahed 0127-0535 1058-1135 1327-1732 Farsi, ck 4650v
(ID + details), d 7020 - 7080
7460 R Payam-e Doost, via Maiac, Moldova or Kazakhstan 0230-0315
Farsi (Baha`i religion) to Iran. Produced by Payam-e Doost
(Message from a friend), Great Falls, Virginia, USA.
7480 R Payam-e Doost, via Maiac, Moldova 1800-1830 Farsi (Baha`i
religion), to Iran, ck 7460
7525 R Yaran (Friends), via Kvitsøy, Norway W 1800-2100 Farsi to
Iran, ID: ``Radio Yaran – AFN``. Satellite audio. Anti-Iran
Government. Produced by American Farsi Netlink, CA, USA Broker:
Merlin. Replaced by 15740 and 15650. Not reported since May 2003
7560 Mesopotamian Radio & TV, Arbil, Iraq, via Samara, Russia
Tu/We/Fr 1700-1800 Kurdish dialects, ID: ``Denge Radio
Televisione Mezopotamia`` plus humming woman (to Iraq). Also ID`
is in English, Arabic and Farsi. Broker: TDP
7560 Voice of Komala, via Kvitsøy, Norway Su 1700-1730 Kurdish, ID:
``Eira dengi Komala, Eira dengi Komala, dengi Komala…. dengi
azadi… dengi (revat) kommunisti..``, 1730-1757 Farsi, ID:
``In seda-ye Komala, In seda-ye Komala, Seda-ye Komalei, Seda-ye…
Kommunisti Kurdistan.``,
to Iran. Broker: TDP, ck 3930
8250 Voice of Mojahed 0127-0535 1058-1135 1327-1732 Farsi, ck 4650(ID
+ details), d 8220- 8280
8350 Voice of Mojahed 0127-0535 1058-1135 1327-1732 Farsi, ck 4650(ID
+ details), d 8320- 8380
8600 Voice of Mojahed 0127-0535 1058-1135 1327-1732 Farsi, ck 4650(ID
+ details), d 8570- 8630
8850 Voice of Mojahed 0127-0535 1058-1135 1327-1732 Farsi, ck 4650(ID
+ details), d 8820- 8880
9250 Voice of Mojahed 0127-0535 1058-1135 1327-1732 Farsi, ck 4650(ID
+ details), d 9220- 9280
9375 Voice of Southern Azerbaijan, via Israel (?) [reported in DXLD
as via Azerbaijan] Th 1530-1555v Azeri, ID: ``Danisir cenub
Azerbaican Radiosu``, to theAzeri population in NW Iran; last
log 08 May 2003
11530 Voice of Mesopotamia, Arbil, Iraq, via Maiac, Moldova 0800-1600
Kurdish dialects: Kurmanji/Zazaki/Sorani to Iraq, ID: ``Denge
Mezopotamya``. Alt fq 15415 15620, ck 15675. Produced by
Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and backed by Syria. Broker: TDP
13800 R International, via Maiac, Moldova Apr-Oct: W 1630-1715 Farsi,
ID: ``Radio International Hezbe Komunist-e Khargar-e Iran``,
``Radio Anternacional-e``. Produced by the Worker Communist
Party of Iran (WCP). Nov-Mar on 7490. Broker: Merlin
15675 Voice of Mesopotamia, Arbil, Iraq, via Kvitsøy, Norway 0400–
0800 Kurdish dialects: Kurmanji/Zazaki/Sorani (to Iraq), ck
11530(ID). Broker: TDP
17525 R Voice of Iran, via Issoudun, France (or Maiac, Moldova)
1530-1730 Farsi, ID: ``Radio Seda-ye Iran``. Produced by KRSI,
USA. Ex 11575 17510; jammed
(A.Petersen-DNK DSWCI, Jul 5, 2003 in DXLD 3-120)
...............................................................
Logs - IRAQ
Radio Free Iraq
11910 kHz, 0335 7/7 D R.Free Iraq/Julich, ID, nx //9865 kHz, A 45433
(S.Domen-BEL Jul 7, 2003 in Shortwaves-ML)
Voice of the Iraqi People (p)
9563 Voice of the Iraqi People (p) caught slogan/ID at 2259 by man in
Arabic as Voice of the Iraqi People. News followed till 2309 then music.
Too weak, could only catch about 10% of what they were saying.
(H.Johnson-USA Jul 5, 2003 in CDX-ML)
I have not reported this until I could listen to the recording a number
of times. I don't have the best ear for Arabic: Voice of the Iraqi People
(``Sawt al sha`ab al Iraqi``). 6/29/03; 11710 kHz, 0008-0125; Talk by OM
until 0015, Alternating OM and YL announcers with 5 - 7 min. pieces, ID
sequence 0030, OM with long talk 0043-0107, Arabic music, OM talking w/
musical bridges, off 0125
(M.Taylor-WI-USA Jun 29, 2003 in DXLD 3-118)
That`s really early in the morning in Iraq (G.Hauser-USA Jul 4, 2003 in
DXLD 3-118)
...............................................................
Logs - ISRAEL
Voice of Palestine
6025 Voice of Palestine or Voice of Palestinian Islamic Revolution (p),
1940+, July 06, transmission in arabic. Talk by male. 34443 (never heard
in this frequency). In //9705 with 45554
(A.L.Slaen-ARG Jul 06, 2003 in HCDX-ML)
...............................................................
Logs - KOREA (NORTH)
Echo of Hope
3985 Echo of Hope Jul 3 *1056-1106 44444 Korean, 1056 s/on with Opening
music and ID. Three gong. Opening announce. Talk.
(K.Hashimoto-J Jul 3, 2003 in JAP 272)
...............................................................
Logs - KURDISTAN
diverse
Rumen Pankov made these observations 20-30 May, updating lists in May and
June editions of Communication.
3900, R. Freedom, nothing heard when checked at 1400-2000, 0200-0500
3900, V. of the Iraqi People, same as last month (Communist Party of
Iraq, pro-Chinese)
4025, V. of People of Kurdistan, heard only on 27 May, an unID
station, poor in Arabic at 0215
4085, V. of Iraqi Kurdistan, same as last month
4120, R. Kurdistan, 1600-1700
4160, V. of Independence, 1630-1700 in Arabic
4235, V. of Kurdistan Toilers, same as last month
(R.Pankov-BUL Jun 8, 2003 in BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD 3-118)
Voice of Mesopotamiya
11530 V.O.Mesopotamiya Jul 8 1531-1547 35433 Kurdish, Talk and music. ID
at 1543.
(K.Hashimoto-J Jul 8, 2003 in JAP 272)
15675, Denge Mezopotamia, *0400-0415, 10/07, Kurdish. S/on w/ NA, OM w/
solid "Denge Mezopotamia..??..Democratie" ID over mx, followed by YL w/
same, cOntinuous Kurdish musical selections. Fair.
(S.R.Barbour Jr-NH-USA Jul 10, 2003 in CDX-ML)
...............................................................
Logs - LEBANON
Voice of Free Lebanon
Radio Free Lebanon. [Date ?] Broadcast begins with a code walrus.
Nationalist safety of free Lebanon + one patriotic song + one man who
asks the Lebanese living outside the Lebanon to return [to ?] Bayrouth +
announce Radio Lebanon Free Lebanon the radio of the love, the peace and
the revolution. + a song of Fairous. + another announcement ' the voice
of liberation '. The political comment: the approach of the fine of
governance of the family Asad.
(M.Kallel-TUN Jul 10, 2003 for CRW)
...............................................................
Logs - MIDDLE EAST
Radio Sawa
Radio Sawa, 11785 via Morocco, good with AA pops and ID at 0130 on 6/24.
(G.Dexter-WI-USA Jun 24, 2003 in DXplorer-ML)
...............................................................
Logs - PNG
Radio Independent Mekamui
3850, R. Independent Mekamui, 1020-1101* Jun 9, Tok Pisin and intl and
string band mx, 1055 IS, closing anmt and a short piece of mx. The ancr
was the same as I hrd some months ago. During anmts the modulation was
low. S6-7 with strong static.
(R.Schulze-PHL Jun 9, 2003 in DX-Window via J.Berg-USA in DXplorer-ML)
...............................................................
Logs - SOMALIA
Radio Hargeysa
Tnx to BC-DX 627 tip dated Jun 29, I could observe this: 7530 kHz USB. R
Hargeysa, Hargeysa, audible at 1913-1941 airing Vernacular (Somali?)
prgr, songs, ID+freqs annoucement in English 1920 followed by talks. Very
poor audio. 35342, a rating reflecting the signal, not the audio
readability.
(C.Goncalves-POR Jun 29, 2003 in BCDX 628)
...............................................................
Logs - SUDAN
Radio Voice of Hope (p)
Radio Voice of Hope (p) 15320 at 0455 on 6/29 with music and talk, some
sort of closing announcement by a woman at 0453, xylophone type IS and
off. Fair at best.
(G.Dexter-WI-USA Jun 29, 2003 in DXplorer-ML)
...............................................................
Logs - SYRIA
The Arabic Radio
Broadcast of 20-06-2003 : Broadcast began with 7 minutes of Koran and
after that an Islamic song. The first day broadcast is 'kayr kalem my
kala wa dal' which means 'best words it is speaks little with a quality
better' the broadcast has a woman who connects information on the Syrian
current events and a man who comments by criticizing the Syrian
government and party Bath [party]. The rough end of broadcast was at 1530
UTC.
(M.Kallel-TUN Jul 10, 2003 for CRW)
12120 Arab R. Jul 6 1508-1520 33433 Arabic, Talk and arabic music. ID at
1517.
(K.Hashimoto-J Jul 6, 2003 in JAP 272)
...............................................................
Logs - WESTERN SAHARA
Radio Nacional de la Republica Arabe Saharaui Democratica
National R. of the SADR, 1945 June 1, Saharan music, 2100 Arabic ID, good
on 1550 kHz
(D.Kenny-G Jun 1, 2003 in BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD 3-118)
The POLISARIO Front outlet, presumably from Tindouf, Algeria, does seem
silent via its very strong 1550 kHz at 2200 today July 4 though active on
// 7460 kHz, which typically puts a weaker signal over here. The Moroccan
jammer (noise background with bubble-type sounding signal) is
nevertheless audible and periodically slightly shifting QRG around 1550
kHz.
It may be effective down there, but I can usually attenuate it via
detuning or via the K9AY aerial; the bubble signal is switched off for a
few secs. at times as if to monitor POLISARIO's signal. Audio quality:
typically weaker on 7460 while usually very good on MW. Langs. used:
Arabic, Castillian and I'd bet Berbere too.
(C.Goncalves-POR Jul 5, 2003 in BCDX 628)
National Radio of the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic heard yesterday
evening 6 July on 7459.7 kHz, thanks to a tip from Noel Green. A carrier
was detectable from tune-in around 2000 UTC. It peaked to a reasonable
signal by 2150 UTC with typical Saharan mx, followed by Arabic talk just
before the hour with several mentions of Saharawiya. Nx in Arabic from
2201.
There was a faint carrier on the MW channel 1550 kHz at the same time,
but it was too weak to hear any audio so not possible to confirm if MW
was in parallel with 7460. Noel also reports hearing 7460 kHz in the
morning from s/on at 0600, but very weak at this time.
(D.Kenny-G BrDXC-UK Jul 6, 2003 via BCDX 628)
Clandestine Radio Stn RASD be still from the Saharan refugee camps at
Rabuni location near Tindouf-ALG. Radio Nacional de la Republica Arabe
Saharaui Democratica.
Al-Wataniyah as-Sarahwi ad-Dimuqratyah. Arabic: al-idha'at al-wataniyah
li
al-jumhuriyah al-arabiyah al-sahrawiyah al- dimuqratiyah.
(W.Bueschel-D Jul 8, 2003 in BCDX 628)
En el boletin BC-DX # 628 recientemente recibido del colega Wolfgang
Bueschel, Carlos Gonçalves y Dave Kenny, reportan la reactivacion de la
Radio Nacional de la Republica Arabe Saharaui Democratica, en 7460 kHz,
escuchada a las 2200 el 4/7 t a las 2000+ el pasado 6 de Julio
respectivamente por los dos colegas aqui mencionados. Un buena
oportunidad entonces de intentar su escucha ahora que esta reactivada.
(G.I.Barrera-CHL Jul 8, 2003 in Lista ConDig-ML)
Re: RNRASD 7460 kHz : Es una excelente noticia. Aqui, en el Rio de la
Plata, se escuchaba con muy buena recepcion sobre las 2200 UTC y de alli
en adelante. Estuvo fuera del aire practicamente por dos años no???
(A.L.Slaen-ARG Jul 8, 2003 in Lista ConDig-ML)
Si, aproximadamente ese tiempo, y recuerdo que se la escuchaba hasta
alrededor de las 2330 aprox. Se distingue por su tipica musica del pueblo
saharaui que difunden en la emisora, que es un poco diferente a la musica
arabe que todos nosotros conocemos. Veremos de intentar su escucha.
(G.I.Barrera-CHL Jul 8, 2003 in Lista ConDig-ML)
1550 kHz Polisario Front, via RTA Tindouf, ALG. I monitored this all
evenings this past week, and only the Moroccan jammer was to be heard,
though not so strongly as usual. Either Tindouf is at quite reduced power
and heard locally only but not here, or then it's simply off. The \\ 7460
kHz outlet keeps providing a very poor signal, i.e. if heard at all!
Maybe I get a better confirmation when I have the chance to monitor this
soon on the SW coast where many NoWeAfr stns seem to be just at a stone's
cast...
(C.Goncalves-POR Jul 14, 2003 in BCDX 629)
...............................................................
Logs - ZIMBABWE
SW Radio Africa
4880 kHz SW Radio Africa. July 4 at 1759-1835. SINPO 24332. Interview in
vernacular and pop song. Interview in English was heard from 1813. ID was
heard at 1829 as "...program today,... highlight of...SW Radio
Africa....."
(I.Nagatani-J Jul 4, 2003 in JAP 272)
------------xxxxxxxxxx QSL Verifications xxxxxxxxxx------------
Qsl's - CHINA
Star Star BC Station
8300.10 New Star Broadcasting Station. Full data card with frequency
indicated. This in response to a French report sent to CBS, Taiwan, with
reply in 106 days. The card has all the details necessary for
verification except for the Language of the Broadcast as French (?) v/s
illegible
(E.Kusalik-AB-CAN Jul 12, 2002 for CRW)
...............................................................
Qsl's - IRAN
Radio Farda QSLing
Note of warning: I sent an inquirery (non-report) via this same webpage;
and my comment was sent back to me with the same verbage added that: a)
they did not have qsl cards yet, however b) they were able to verify my
"report." So my comment was "verified."
It appears that this comments section is an auto-mated response page. Try
and type "anything" on this page, and see what you het in 2-3 days. This
is why I DO NOT accept e-verifications. I want to see paper!!!!!
The frequencies of R FARDA are listed on the VOA listings as "VOA." You
may wish to get your qsls through VOA for these sites. I sent some
reports but am still awaiting replys by mail.
(K.Rychalsky-USA Jul 13, 2003 in HCDX-ML)
------------xxxxxxxxxx Miscellaneous xxxxxxxxxx----------------
Misc - AFGHANISTAN
OPPOSING VIEWS ON FOREIGN BROADCASTS TO AFGHANISTAN
Two opposing views were broadcast by Iranian Mashhad radio on 4 July on
the role of foreign radio stations in Afghanistan. An Afghan intellectual
has asked the government to ban foreign radio stations from broadcasting
in Afghanistan. The editor-in-chief of the Hindokosh news agency said
that foreign culture might "upset" his country's national unity. Whereas,
the editor-in-chief of Erada daily, Mr Zahoor Afghan, said that foreign
radio stations were broadcasting nothing going against Afghanistan's
national interests. The following is an excerpt from the report, with
subheads inserted editorially:
[Presenter] An Afghan intellectual has said that programmes broadcast by
foreign radio stations in Afghanistan contravene [Islamic] law and that
this is the betrayal of the country's national interests.
In a letter to the country's government, the Afghan intellectual asked
the government to prevent foreign radio stations from broadcasting in
Afghanistan. In his letter, a copy of which was also sent to Afghan
publications, he said that even in colonial countries, the authorities do
not allow such radios to operate. He asked: Will America and Europe,
which have set up radio stations in Afghanistan and which promote
freedom, allow an Islamic country to set up a radio station in their
countries and to broadcast programmes for their people?
The writer asked the Afghan government to completely ban the foreign
radio stations from broadcasting in Afghanistan, and said that this was
needed to preserve the values of Islam and protect national interests. In
interviews with two Afghan journalists and media experts, we have
assessed the issue.
Foreign media
The editor-in-chief of Erada daily, Mr Zahoor Afghan [phonetic], said
that programmes broadcast by foreign radios in Afghanistan were not a
problem bearing in mind Afghanistan's media law. He said that critics had
the right to express their opposing views on those programmes. Mr Zahoor
Afghan said:
[Zahoor Afghan] We have two kinds of radio stations in our country.
First, those radio stations whose broadcasts are strengthened inside the
country, such as BBC, Voice of America or Radio Azadi [Liberty]. Nobody
can stop them from broadcasting. They broadcast so that people can listen
to them.
Second, there are radio stations that have got official permission from
the Ministry of Information and Culture in accordance with the media law
and operate inside Afghanistan.
I don't think these radio stations broadcast anything going against
Afghanistan's national interest, because we listen to these radios. There
could be a category of people whose ideas and thoughts are against those
programmes. They may not tolerate entertainment programmes, such as music
that are broadcast by FM radios. Otherwise,
I do not think those radio stations which have been given official
permission by the Afghan government in accordance with the media law to
broadcast programmes broadcast anything that undermines the national
interests of Afghanistan. Those intellectuals who feel responsibility for
their country, for their people, for the freedom of speech and for the
implementation of democracy are allowed to express their opposition to
the matter. [Passage omitted: repeat]
External financial support for Afghan media
[Presenter] Meanwhile, sharing the sentiment of opposition to foreign
media in Afghanistan, the editor-in-chief of Hindokosh news agency, Sayed
Najibollah Hashemi, said that alien cultures had influenced his country
and that this matter would also upset Afghanistan's national unity. The
editor-in-chief of Hindokosh asked the government to pay more attention
to foreign assistance coming to Afghanistan's news sources so that there
are opportunities to create a good competitive environment. Let us listen
to what Sayed Najibollah Hashemi had to say:
[Sayed Najibollah Hashemi] Afghanistan's new media law guarantees some
freedom for the Afghan people in the sphere of media. It is a good
opportunity to develop talents in the country. Unfortunately, since
financial support for Afghanistan's independent media is weaker, all
Afghan independent news sources turn to external sources. They [Afghan
news sources] are being given moral and financial support. And the
feeding of Afghanistan's independent media has resulted in some disorder
in the country's media affairs. [Passage to end omitted: repeat]
Source: Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mashhad, in Dari 1330 gmt
4 Jul 03
(via BBCM via DXLD 3-119)
...............................................................
Misc - CONGO DR
RADIO CANDIP BACK ON THE AIR IN BUNIA; REPORTS MILITIA BOSS'S MEETINGS |
Excerpt from report by Congolese radio from Bunia on 7 July
We have just noted the entry into the studio of the special secretary for
the presidency [of the Union of Congolese Patriots for Peace and
Reconciliation, UPC-RP]. Clearly he has a message. Good morning.
[Official] I have come to give an (?overview) of the activities of the
chairman of the UPC-RP, HE Thomas Lubanga, over the period when Radio
Candip was experiencing technical problems.
The reopening of Radio Candip took place at around 1000 local time [0800
gmt] on Saturday 5 July after the personal intervention of his excellency
the chairman of the UPC-RP, Mr Thomas Lubanga, who did not spare any
effort to procure the damaged spare parts. Efforts continue to improve
the condition of the radio and TV station to serve the residents of Ituri
[region in northeastern DRCongo] in particular. [Radio Candip had not
been heard for a week prior to 5 July.]
During this period the UPC-RP chairman, HE Thomas Lubanga, continued to
work tirelessly to consolidate peace in Ituri and in Bunia in
collaboration with all the organizations and forces working towards this
end. For instance, the UPC-RP chairman received the political counsellor
at the embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in DR Congo, Mr Michael
Genet [phonetic], at his official residence in the (?Lumumba)
neighbourhood on Wednesday 2 July 2003. Mr Genet was accompanied by Maj
Descuillesperes Barthes [phonetic], the Belgian liaison officer seconded
to the multinational force in Bunia. Their talks centred on various
issues related to the security situation in Ituri and the respective
positions of the Belgian and German governments on the situation in
Ituri, and on the presence of their troops in the multinational force.
[Passage omitted]
The UPC-RP chairman received a courtesy call from a delegation of the
OCHA [UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs] led by the
head of OCHA's humanitarian services in Ituri, Mr Mahmoud Hachi
[phonetic], the same day. [Passage omitted]
On Friday 4 July, the UPC-RP chairman, HE Thomas Lubanga, received a
UPC-RP delegation which had returned from a diplomatic mission to
Kampala, where it had gone to meet the president of the Republic of
Uganda, HE Mr Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, with the aim of restoring relations
favourable to good neighbourliness. The report of this delegation led by
HE Mr Jean Kinazabo Zeremani [phonetic], the secretary-general of our
movement, proved to be very positive. [Passage omitted --- by BBCM in all
cases here]
On the morning of the same Friday, HE the chairman of the UPC-RP also
received a delegation from the Roman Catholic Church-run NGO Caritas, led
by the head of this association in Bunia Diocese, Msgr Etienne Ndayikosi
[phonetic]. [Passage omitted] Source: Radio Candip, Bunia, in French 0500
gmt 7 Jul 03 (via BBCM via DXLD 3-121)
...............................................................
Misc - CUBA - HISTORY
La Voz del Cid
El cubano anticastrista Luis Posada Carriles, actualmente preso en Panamá
dio una entrevista para el periódico salvadoreño "La Prensa Gráfica"
http://www.laprensagrafica.com/especiales/2003/carriles
Además el periódico ha realizado una investigación alrededor de sus
declaraciones.
Una parte es interesante en cuanto la Voz del Cid, la conocida radio
clandestina para Cuba, la cual es ubicada por "fuentes
ex-gubernamentales" en el Cuartel del Batallón Atlacatl, San Andrés sobre
la carretera que de San Salvador conduce hacia Santa Ana. Transmitiendo
entre los años 1983 a 1997, según las mismas fuentes, la radio estuvo
bajo supervisión directa de Huber Matos
Esta revelación, y otras, de "manera oficial" a causado bastante revuelo
ya que eso supone que la emisora funcionó 5 años después de firmados los
acuerdos de paz, el gobierno salvadoreño había aceptado anteriormente la
existencia de la radio pero en el marco de la guerra.
(H.Molina-SLV Jul 9, 2003 in ListaConDig-ML)
...............................................................
Misc - CUBA
R Marti from Turks & Caicos station ?
I have it on good authority that the R. Martí tests on 1020 kHz were
(are?) from the Turks & Caicos station. Since they were also heard to
mention AM tests via Cayman Islands, I wonder if another as yet unknown
frequency was involved for that. There has been no MW from there for a
few years, since both 1205 and 1555 kHz closed down. I wonder if those
facilities are still operable and if so would still be on the split
frequencies?! Worth keeping an ear out for them, anyway; they were only 1
and 10 kW, respectively, no match for Cuban jammers, and no doubt rather
weak in Cuba even if in the clear
(G.Hauser-USA, Jul 4, 2003 in DXLD 3-118)
...............................................................
Misc - EASTERN EUROPE
RFE/RL language services websites
Most of RFE/RL language services have own websites meanwhile, below a
current list in language order.
Albanian:
Radio Europa e Lire
www.europaelire.org
Armenian:
Radio Azatutyan
www.armenianliberty.org
Azeri:
Azadliq Radiosu
www.azadses.org
Belarusian:
Radyjo Svaboda
www.svaboda.org
Bulgarian:
Radio Svobodna Evropa
www.svobodnaevropa.org
Estonian:
Radio Vaba Euroopa
www.vabaeuroopa.org
Georgian:
Radio Tavisupleba
www.tavisupleba.org
Kazakh:
Azattyq Radiosy
www.azattyq.org
Kyrgyz:
Azattyk Unalgysy
www.azattyk.org
Latvian:
Radio Briva Eiropa
www.brivaeiropa.org
Macedonian:
Radio Svobodna Evropa
www.makdenes.org
Farsi:
Radio Farda
www.radiofarda.com
Romanian/Moldovan:
Radio Europa Libera
www.europalibera.org
Slovak:
Radio Slobodná Europa
www.slobodka.org
Tatar/Bashkir:
Azatliq Radiosi
www.azatliq.org
Tajik:
Radioi Ozodi
www.ozodi.org
Russian:
Radio Svoboda
www.svoboda.org
Ukrainian:
Radio Svoboda
www.radiosvoboda.org
Uzbek:
Ozodlik Radiosi
www.ozodlik.org
*******
AFGHANISTAN (Dari/Pashto):
Radio Free Afghanistan
www.azadiradio.org
IRAQ (Arabic)
Radio Free Iraq
www.iraqhurr.org
BOSNIA-HERCEGOVINA/CROATIA/SERBIA&MONTENEGRO incl. KOSOVO
(South Slavic Service: Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian/Albanian)
www.danas.org
(B.Trutenau-LTU Jul 08, 2003 in CDX-ML)
...............................................................
Misc - IRAN
Voice of Mojahed,
There have been big demonstrations in Tehran against the Islamic regime
of Iran and 4000 demonstrators have been arrested according to official
Iranian sources. I heard their shouting of protests on clandestine Radio
Voice of Iran the other day and immediately after that, Iranian jamming
started. Official Iranian sources accused the demonstrators for being
inspired by western media and the recent developments in the two
neighbour countries:
Afghanistan and Iraq.
Since 1981 the big clandestine station, Voice of Mojahed, has used up to
16 SW transmitters simultaneously to broadcast the political messages of
the National Liberation Army of Iran (Mojahedin e-Khalq). It was jammed
from Iran, but wellknown for its jumping around the main frequencies in
steps of 5 kHz in order to avoid jamming, shortly after followed by the
jammer using the ``cat-after-mouse`` principle. This station was backed
by Iraq and at least some of its transmissions were presumed to be
broadcast from the Iraqi-Iran border Mojahedin camps in Iraq. This
appeared very likely since all the broadcasts of the Voice of Mojahed
ceased at the end of March this year. But mid June the station --- and
its jammers returned on the air from unknown locations.
Besides postal addresses in Washington, London, Cologne and Baghdad, the
Voice of Mojahed for many years has had an address at Mojahedines du
People d'Iran, 17 rue des Gords, F-95430 Auvers-sur Oise, some 40
kilometres north of Paris, France. A week ago the French police has
arrested several leaders at this address which is the Headquarter’s of
the biggest Iranian opposition group, the Mudjahedins of the Iranian
People, accusing them for involvement in terrorism
(A.Petersen-DNK Jul 2, 2003 DSWCI DX Window, July 4 via DXLD 3-119)
---
Lugar: Iran Democracy Act Not Supported by White House
An Eye for Iran
Not all lawmakers are quiet about the protests in Tehran.
By Jim Geraghty, National Review Online
June 18, 2003
http://www.nationalreview.com/geraghty/geraghty061803.asp
As the students in Iran continue their daily protests against the Islamic
government, lawmakers' reactions on Capitol Hill have run the gamut from
a cautious apprehension of the regime's collapse to a straightforward cry
of "Free Iran!"
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar (R., Ind.), who
departs Thursday for a fact-finding trip to Jordan and Iraq, has limited
enthusiasm for the current unrest in the nation that President Bush
called a member state in the Axis of Evil.
In an interview on Fox News Sunday, Lugar said he would "not necessarily"
want to see a regime change in Iran.
"A regime change that comes through the democratic processes of Iran,
through the students and the young people taking charge — how all that
comes about, I don't know," Lugar said. "But I think it has to be an
Iranian process, which we can assist."
Lugar said that while he sympathizes with its supporters of the proposed
Iran Democracy Act, he does not support the bill, which would allocate
approximately $57 million to Iranian opposition groups and satellite
television broadcasters. The House version would also slap new sanctions
on Iran, a "total embargo" in order to "encourage the people of Iran to
bring about a more peaceful and democratic government."
"I want to leave some running room for that formulation to occur rather
than interjecting some things that the administration doesn't want,"
Lugar said. "They don't really want that act, for the moment. But, on the
other hand, it may be helpful down the trail. So it's sort of out there
in reserve."
At the other end of the spectrum is Sen. Sam Brownback, a Kansas
Republican and member of the Foreign Relations Committee.
"Some people have claimed that Iran is a democracy of sorts," Brownback
said at a Friday news conference. "The actions of the Iranian government
against the Iranian people right now, proves without a shadow of a doubt,
that there is no democracy in Iran right now. The people have come into
the streets to express their frustration — and instead of listening to
them, the government is sending out plain-clothes thugs to beat them up,
identify student leaders, arrest them and torture them… Civilized nations
do not treat their people this way."
"This is how history is made - one brave act at a time," Brownback said.
The world is watching how the regime treats you and will hold them
accountable. Free Iran!"
Sen. Joseph Biden (D., Del.), ranking member on the Senate
foreign-relations panel and one of Lugar's traveling partners, has not
released a recent statement on the protests. But members of his staff
pointed to previous statements by the senator on Iran, indicating that he
endorsed a 'go slow' approach.
"I think we should be working with and supporting the civilian leadership
in there that's been taking on the clerical leadership," he said in an
appearance on Meet the Press on May 27. "But in terms of going in there
with force now and going in there to take down 'that regime' or form any
revolution, we should be a little bit careful here at this point."
On the House side, Rep. Brad Sherman, a California Democrat, is one of
the most vocal critics of the Iranian regime.
"With protests underway in Iran right now, its important that American
policy makers adopt a strong position in support of those brave Iranians
who take to the streets to demand democracy and respect for human
rights," Sherman said. "We also need to ensure that our government adopts
policies to hasten the fall of that regime by denying it material
assistance."
Sherman's version of the Iran Democracy Act would allow the president to
reduce U.S. payments to the World Bank and other multilateral
institutions which "provide support to the Iranian regime." Earlier this
month, Sherman decried a little-noticed decision by the World Bank's
board to approve a $180 million loan package for the government of Iran.
"This decision shows that many of our friends in Europe and Asia, those
who pushed this loan forward, are incredibly misguided when it comes to
the regime in Tehran," Sherman said. "Unfortunately, this vote is
demonstrative of the fact that our own government has not made the case
with our allies that this regime should be isolated, not supported. The
president did not raise the issue at the G-8 meeting and the
Administration indicated that it would continue its support by requesting
that Congress appropriate over $750 million in 2004 for the World Bank,
despite the World Bank loans to the government in Tehran."
Another House lawmaker long associated with Iranian issues is Ohio
Republican Bob Ney. The congressman, who speaks Persian, taught English
in Iran in the late 1970's, before the Shah of Iran was ousted in the
1979 revolution.
"I am appalled by the crackdown on these student demonstrators, but at
the same time, their voices are growing louder by the day and they are
being heard around the world," Ney said Monday. "The indomitable desire
of a people to be free cannot be muzzled forever, and I am confident that
the Iranian people will soon reach their goals of freedom and democracy."
Several lawmakers on congressional foreign-affairs panels, including
Republican Sens. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island (R.) and George Allen of
Virginia (R.), and House International Affairs Committee Chairman Henry
Hyde of Illinois (R.), have not yet issued statements or made any
comments on the Iranian protests.
(National Review Jun 18, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
U.S. to Beam TV Show to Iran From Washington
By Mike Allen, Washington Post
July 3, 2003; Page A16
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1078-2003Jul2.html
The U.S. government plans to launch a Persian-language television
newscast in Iran on Sunday as the Bush administration continues to
encourage internal dissent against the ruling clerics, administration
officials said yesterday.
The Voice of America program, to be announced today, will be sent from
Washington by satellite to avoid the jamming that has interfered with
U.S. government radio programs aimed at the Iranian people.
The program, "News and Views," will include headlines, a report about the
United Nations and a cultural package. It will air nightly from 9:30 to
10 p.m., Tehran time. VOA said a network of Iranian stringers will supply
news from within the country.
The U.S. government's satellite newscast builds on the efforts of exiles
in Los Angeles who are trying to promote rebellion in Tehran and other
Iranian cities by beaming private radio and television programs into the
country by satellite. The United States has said it is not involved in
those programs, but some Pentagon officials and others in the
administration have argued for a more activist approach to undermining
the mullahs.
Voice of America officials said the mission of the new program is
journalism, not propaganda. But President Bush praised Iranian protesters
last month for demanding greater freedom from the clerics and for
pursuing what he called a "free Iran." The White House has been working
with allies around the world to try to build pressure on Iran to curb its
nuclear ambitions.
A senior administration official, who refused to be identified because
the plan has not been announced, said the mission of the new newscast is
to "add volume and reach" to the efforts of the exiles.
Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, chairman of the U.S. Broadcasting Board of
Governors, which oversees the VOA, said the goal is to provide Iranians
with an alternative to news programs controlled by their government.
"By reporting what's happening, we can help further the struggle for
freedom and self-determination in Iran," Tomlinson said. "The
demonstrations alone reflect the unrest in the nation, and if ever there
was a time when the people of Iran needed sound, factual, objective
reporting on their country, it's now."
The program will last at least through Sept. 30, and the Broadcasting
Board of Governors plans to spend about $500,000 on it.
The board, which is responsible for all nonmilitary broadcasts of the
U.S. government, began a channel for Iraq after the fall of Saddam
Hussein, featuring subtitled versions of commercial U.S. news programs.
That effort ended after 30 days. Few Iraqis had power during that period.
Tomlinson said the program had always been scheduled to end after one
month. A senior administration official said native Iraqis wanted to take
over at that point.
The Iranian program is part of a broad -- and so far unsuccessful --
effort by the administration to use broadcasting to improve the U.S.
image in the Middle East, including the launch of a 24-hour Arabic
television channel planned for late this year.
The broadcasting board already operates Radio Farda, a 24-hour,
Persian-language, youth-oriented station run from Prague and Washington;
and VOA Persian, which is on the air four hours a day, seven days a week.
VOA-TV produces two weekly shows aimed at Iran: "Roundtable with You," a
90-minute show that includes call-ins; and "Next Chapter," a 60-minute
newsmagazine aimed at young people.
(Washington Post Jul 3, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
Iran Targets Banned Satellite TV Owners
Iranian security forces carry out series of dish seizures in Tehran
districts that were theatre of recent unrest.
Middle East Online
July 3, 2003
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=6237
TEHRAN - Iranian security forces have carried out a series of raids
targetting private owners of banned satellite dishes in areas of Tehran
that were the scene of recent anti-regime protests, witnesses and reports
said Thursday.
The official Iran newspaper said that for several days there has been "a
new wave of dish seizures, particularly in districts that were the
theatre of recent troubles," a reference to the June 10-20 student-led
unrest.
The protests swelled after many residents of Tehran were urged to take to
the streets by foreign-based opposition satellite television broadcasts.
The ownership of satellite equipment is illegal in the country, and the
paper said offending households received court summons and fines ranging
between one and five million rials (120 and 600 dollars).
Witnesses in one neighbourhood near Tehran University, the epicenter of
the virulent protests, said many of the raids were carried out by
plainclothes men who could be seen throwing dishes from rooftops.
Around a dozen opposition television stations beam Persian-language
broadcasts into Iran. Most are run by sympathisers of the monarchy that
was ousted in 1979.
The struggle by Iran's clerical leaders against the broadcasts also
includes attempts to jam reception of the stations in the capital, where
hundreds of thousands of people are believed to own dishes and receivers.
(Middle East Online Jul 3, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
BBG Launches New Television Program for Iran
Payvand.com
July 3, 2003
http://www.payvand.com/news/03/jul/1024.html
Washington, D.C. -- Voice of America (VOA) debuts a new, nightly,
Persian-language TV program, News & Views, on July 6, aimed at reaching
millions of Iranians who watch satellite television.
News & Views, a daily, 30-minute show, will be broadcast from 9:30
p.m.-10:00 p.m. in Iran. It will feature original news reporting from
Iran, where pro-democracy protesters have been active. Additionally, the
show will include world news round-ups, analyses of issues and events and
special interest and cultural features. Radio Farda reporters will
contribute to the show.
"By reporting what's happening in Iran today, we can help further the
struggle for freedom and self-determination in Iran," said Kenneth Y.
Tomlinson, chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), which
oversees all U.S. nonmilitary international broadcasting, including VOA.
"If ever there was a time when the people of Iran need sound, factual
reporting on their country, it is now."
Key participants include managing editor Fereidoun Farahandouz, veteran
TV anchor Hossein Kangarloo, and lead anchor Setareh Derakhshesh. VOA's
Persian Service is led by Ahmad Baharloo.The new show will feature
reports contributed from inside Iran, Washington, New York, Los Angeles
and around the world.
The show's premiere will include the first of a special series of reports
leading up to the fourth anniversary of the Iranian government's July 9,
1999 crackdown on student uprisings in Iran.
Scheduled to run through at least September 30, News & Views is expected
to cost up to $500,000.
Satellite television is a leading source of news in Iran, where some 70
percent of the population, estimated at 67 million, is under 30.
Satellite dishes are available in many homes throughout Iran.
Until now, VOA has produced two television programs, Next Chapter, a
weekly newsmagazine, and Roundtable With You, a 90-minute discussion
show. The shows complement VOA Persian's daily radio service; and Radio
Farda, a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week, youth-oriented radio program that is
a joint project of VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).
The BBG is an independent federal agency which supervises all U.S.
government-supported non-military international broadcasting, including
the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL);
Radio Free Asia (RFA); Radio and TV Martí, Radio Sawa and Radio Farda.
The services broadcast in 65 languages to over 100 million people around
the world in 125 markets.
Nine members comprise the BBG, a presidentially appointed body. Current
governors are Chairman Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, Joaquin Blaya, Blanquita W.
Cullum, D. Jeffrey Hirschberg, Edward E. Kaufman, Robert M. Ledbetter,
Jr., Norman J. Pattiz and Steven Simmons. Secretary of State Colin L.
Powell serves as an ex officio member.
(Payvand.com Jul 3, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
IRANIAN SECURITY FORCES SWOOP ON SATELLITE TV OWNERS IN TEHRAN
TEHRAN (AFP) Jul 03, 2003
Iranian security forces have carried out a series of raids targetting
private owners of banned satellite dishes in areas of Tehran that were
the scene of recent anti-regime protests, witnesses and reports said
Thursday.
The official Iran newspaper said that for several days there has been "a
new wave of dish seizures, particularly in districts that were the
theatre of recent troubles," a reference to the June 10-20 student-led
unrest.
The protests swelled after many residents of Tehran were urged to take to
the streets by foreign-based opposition satellite television broadcasts.
The ownership of satellite equipment is illegal in the country, and the
paper said offending households received court summons and fines ranging
between one and five million rials (120 and 600 dollars).
Witnesses in one neighbourhood near Tehran University, the epicenter of
the virulent protests, said many of the raids were carried out by
plainclothes men who could be seen throwing dishes from rooftops.
Around a dozen opposition television stations beam
Persian-languagebroadcasts into Iran. Most are run by sympathisers of the
monarchy that was ousted in 1979.
The struggle by Iran's clerical leaders against the broadcasts also
includes attempts to jam reception of the stations in the capital, where
hundreds of thousands of people are believed to own dishes and receivers.
(AFP Jul 3, 2002 via M.Terry-G in DXLD 3-118)
US to Launch New Persian TV News Broadcasts to Iran
IranMania.com
July 4, 2003
http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=16675&News
Kind=Current%20Affairs
The United States said Thursday it would begin beaming a new
Persian-language satellite television news program into Iran this weekend
but denied that the initiative constituted any form of interference in
the Islamic republic.
In separate announcements, the State Department and the Broadcasting
Board of Governors, which oversees US-funded radio and television
programming abroad, said the new show would feature original news
reporting from Iran, world news and special interest and cultural
features.
The daily 30-minute program, to be called "News and Views," will be run
by the Voice of America and will debut Sunday, the Broadcasting Board of
Governors said in a statement.
Scheduled to run through at least September 30, the board has allocated
500,000 dollars to the program which will air nightly between 9:30 and
10:00 pm Iran time, it said.
The announcement of the new show follows 10 days of anti-regime
demonstrations in Iran last month that were encouraged by the United
States.
"By reporting what's happening in Iran today, we can help further the
struggle for freedom and self-determination in Iran," said board chairman
Kenneth Tomlinson, noting that satellite television is a leading source
of news in the country.
His announcement coincided witnesses and reports in Tehran saying Iranian
security forces were carrying out raids targeting the owners of satellite
dishes which are officially banned.
The protests this month swelled after many residents of Tehran were urged
to take to the streets by foreign-based opposition satellite television
broadcasts, many of which emanate from the United States.
Those protests -- which saw violent clashes between students and Islamic
conservatives -- have now dwindled following a massive crackdown on
demonstrators in which some 4,000 people were reportedly arrested.
The premiere of News and Views will include the first in a series of
reports leading up to the fourth anniversary of the Iranian government's
July 9, 1999, crackdown on student uprisings in Iran.
On Monday, press reports in Tehran said Iranian authorities had decided
to shut down the main university campus in the capital for a week
starting Monday in a bid to prevent any commemoratations there of the
1999 riots.
Iran officials are sure to protest the new US program as meddling in the
internal affairs of their country.
In anticipation of such charges, the State Department denied that was the
case.
"We don't consider that providing information is getting involved or
interfering in anything," spokesman Richard Boucher said.
"That's their problem," he said curtly when asked about Iran's likely
response to the new show.
(IranMania.com Jul 4, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
US TV Stirs Up Iran's Young Rebels
By Dan De Luce, The Observer
July 6, 2003
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,992328,00.html
Tehran -- The United States will beam a Farsi-language television news
programme into Iran tonight, the latest in the propaganda war to create
discontent among an alienated younger generation.
US officials say News and Views will air nightly for a half-hour via
satellite to provide an alternative to the country's state television,
which answers to the all-powerful Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The hardline clerical leadership will see the project as further evidence
that recent unrest has been orchestrated from Washington.
The launch of the programme comes three days before the anniversary of a
violent crackdown against student protests on 9 July, 1999. Fearful of
another round of demonstrations, conservative authorities have banned
rallies on Wednesday, postponed university examinations, closed
dormitories and detained most of the student leadership.
A senior cleric warned on Friday that young people contemplating protests
against the theocracy would face severe punishment.
Citing the 'evil objectives' of foreign powers, Ayatollah Mohammad Emami
Kashani said any actions by students that 'jeopardise national security
and peace would be an action of treason today'.
Student leaders and democracy activists say recent statements of support
from President Bush and Tony Blair are counter-productive, providing
ammunition to their opponents, who say that Iran has come under
psychological attack by the Bush administration.
The establishment is struggling to placate a generation immersed in
Western influences and unmoved by the ideological appeal of a revolution
they do not remember.
Attempting to tap into Iran's vast youth population, the US has already
launched a new radio service, called Radio Farda (Radio Tomorrow), that
broadcasts Western pop music with brief news bulletins.
In Iraq, Tehran beat the US at its own game with an Arabic channel
broadcast on terrestrial transmitters from Iran. Al-Alam proved a popular
source of information with its 24-hour news programming during the war,
before coalition media projects had got off the ground.
Radio Farda can be heard on short wave, although it is often jammed, and
on satellite broadcasts. Satellite dishes are illegal in Iran, but many
flout the ban and hide dishes on rooftops or behind balcony walls.
Clerics are contemptuous of satellite broadcasts from stations run by
Iranian exiles in Los Angeles, which run low-budget pop music videos and
crude denunciations of the theocracy from sympathisers of the former
monarchy.
'People feel powerless, but when they hear someone swearing against the
regime, it's a kind of ventilation,' said one Tehran journalist.
(The Observer Jul 6, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
Tell Iran's Mullahs: The Jig Is Up
By Reza Bayegan, FrontPageMagazine.com
July 7, 2003
http://frontpagemag.com/articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=8766
Time and again the mullahs have proved themselves to be masters of press
manipulation. Khomeini’s success would have been unthinkable without the
international media first surrendering its power to the political
wizardry of the grand Ayatollah. In the early days of the revolution up
and coming foreign journalists were scrambling over each other to lend an
assisting hand to the Islamic fanatics in chastising and incriminating
the ancien regime. The provocative and irresponsible comments of some of
these journalists exacerbated the already perilous situation of political
prisoners held by the revolutionaries.
Ironically the press freedom that played a decisive role in bringing the
Ayatollah to power was amongst the first of the victims of the
revolution. Aware of the enormous power of the media in shaping political
events, the clerical dictatorship took measures to control it in such a
way that it would not divert from serving the fundamentalist agenda.
Radio and television soon became the monopoly of the state. Newspapers
were shut down and the only political voice allowed an expression was
that in praise of the regime. Today the Islamic Republic well deserves
the title of 'the biggest prison for journalists in the Middle East'
given to it by the international organization ‘Reporters Without
Borders’.
After the collapse of Saddam Hussein, the mullahs found a new opportunity
to put their disinformation machine to work and use it for waging a war
they know so well how to win. They have employed the full force of their
fundamentalist propaganda network to sabotage the consolidation of
democracy in Iraq. They have recognized that there is a direct link
between their own survival and the defeat of the allied mission in their
neighboring country.
The chief instrument of their campaign is Al-Alam (The World) television
channel, which broadcasts hourly bulletins in Arabic into Iraq from a
station in Tehran. It portrays the Americans and the British as
occupiers, and the Iraqis as the victims of their aggression. Pictures of
dead or injured Iraqis are shown lying in the streets in such a manner to
pique the pride and stir the national sentiment of the viewers. Together
with the pro-fundamentalist Iraqi newspapers that get their cues from
Tehran, Al-Alam injects a daily dose of hatred into the hearts and minds
of citizens whose chronic lack of liberty and political experience has
turned them into easy prey in the masterful hands of the brainwashers of
the Islamic Republic. The mullahs are too clever to be seen shooting at
the Americans themselves. Instead they preach to the Iraqis a kind of
violent and xenophobic Islam that if not confronted will continue to cost
allied lives and the eventual defeat of their political undertaking.
Another powerful front that the Islamic Republic uses to subvert the
cause of peace and democracy in Iraq is the mosque. The underlying
message of the pro-Iranian clergy mounting the pulpit of the Shiite
mosques can be summed up in one sentence: It is the religious duty of
every Iraqi Moslem to defeat 'the foreign aggressors'.
At the bottom of all this relentless propaganda war is the fact that the
American presence in Iraq has put the Iranian dictators backs to the
wall. The establishment of a moderate pro-Western democracy in a
predominantly Shiite country next door is nothing short of a death
sentence for an unpopular regime that has failed miserably to deliver on
its promises of liberalization and reform.
We have to also remember that the city of Najaf in Iraq is the spiritual
capital of the Shiites, being the site of one of the most prestigious
religious seminaries and the burial place of the founder of the Shiite
faith, Ali. Ayatollah Khomeini spent fifteen years in Najaf before coming
to Iran to lead the Islamic revolution. With the removal of Saddam
Hussein whose iron fist rule subordinated religious faith to the party
loyalty, the spiritual borderline between the two Shiite countries has
more or less evaporated. For the mullahs who disparage nationalism and
instead emphasize the idea of Ommat (the oneness of the Islamic
community) Najaf, Karbala and Baghdad are as much their territory as are
Qom and Tehran. Article 11 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of
Iran states that "all Muslims are one Ommat and the Government of the
Islamic Republic of Iran shall be under obligation to lay its general
policy on the basis of coalition and unity of Muslim nations and strive
perpetually to achieve political, economic and cultural unity of the
Muslim world". What the idea of unity of the Muslim world means to the
regime in Tehran is a solidarity against Israel and the rest of the
Western civilization. To brook the formation of a government in Baghdad,
which is friendly to Washington and Tel Aviv, will be an anathema to such
an ideal.
Thomas L. Friedman in an article published in The Herald Tribune
(23.06.2003) is quite right in saying that "to help build a progressive,
pluralistic state in Iraq" is President Bush’s strongest card. Turning
Iraq into a showcase for democracy, will demonstrate that Middle Eastern
soil is not inimical to the cultivation of peace and freedom. Mr.
Friedman errs however in suggesting that the mullahs are going to sit
still and let this dream come true.
It is complete naiveté to think that we can isolate the Iraqi malady and
cure it without moving at the same time to heal the larger political and
religious anatomy it belongs to.
Under the present circumstances it is not a question of whether President
Bush should go to war against the Islamic Republic or not. The war is on,
and it has been on for a long time albeit unilaterally. The question is
whether the United States can afford to continue not defending itself and
its allies against a sly enemy who will soon acquire nuclear capability.
Any policy of appeasement towards the clerical regime is totally
senseless and suicidal. Like all accomplished terrorists the mullahs can
smell fear from thousands of miles away. Nothing makes them bolder and
adds to their aggression more than a feeling that the other side is short
of resolve to take them on.
On Wednesday President Bush challenged the militants who kill and injure
the American soldiers in Iraq by saying "There are some who feel like
that conditions are such that they can attack us there," "My answer is
'bring them on'. We have the force necessary to deal with the situation."
Although sounding tough, President Bush's words betray a perplexity about
the origin and nature of the hostility directed towards the Americans. Is
it not evident to everyone by now who is behind the attacks? At this
point in time there is only one strong and courageous message that the
United States President can send: 'The jig is up'. It should be
dispatched to nowhere else but the clerical regime in Tehran.
(FrontPageMagazine.com Jul 7, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
US-based TV channels for Iran suffer satellite interference
(Correcting the description of Jaam-e-jam International to "US-based
independent TV channel" and updating the start date of VOA Persian TV)
US-based Iranian TV channels are suffering from the presence of an
unidentified signal which is causing disruption and interference. The
affected stations are in a multiplex of channels targetted mainly at
Iran, BBC Monitoring observed on 7 July at 1305 gmt.
The rogue signal, observed on the Telstar 12 satellite at 15 degrees
west, on a downlink frequency of 12608.5 MHz, causes video and audio to
become pixellated or freeze throughout transponder 10, which is centred
on 12595 MHz horizontal.
The channels potentially affected, according to a listing on the Lyngsat
satellite information web site, are CTI TV; Da Ai TV; MAC TV;
NITV-National Iranian TV; Iran TV Network; Tapesh TV; VOA TV Persian
service (colour bars at times - the TV service started on 6 July);
Channel One; Azadi TV; Jaam-e-jam International (US-based independent
channel carrying the same name as an Iranian state external TV service).
Radio: AFN Farsi Net, Radio Farda (RFE/RL), VOA Persian radio, Radio
Sedaye Iran and KIRN 670.
Other stations occupying different transponders, including an alternative
VOA TV Persian service signal on the same satellite, are not affected.
The interference was still being observed at 1600 gmt on 7 July and
observations are continuing.
Source: BBC Monitoring research in 7 Jul 03 (BBCM Jul 07, 2003)
Radio Farda source of hope for many Iranians - press
Text of report in English by Czech news agency CTK
Prague, 7 July: Radio Farda, the Iran-targeting broadcasts from Prague,
is becoming a symbol of objective information about world developments
which has been eagerly sought by millions of Iranians every day since it
was launched a half year ago, the daily Mlada fronta Dnes writes today.
"We know that our influence is considerable. The Iranian government takes
much effort to ham us. This is the best proof of our popularity," Sonia
Winterova, spokeswoman of the Prague-seated Radio Free Europe (RFE),
which broadcasts in 34 languages to 25 countries, including Iran, says in
the paper.
Radio Farda (Tomorrow) now largely means to Iran what the US-run RFE,
then seated in Munich, meant to Eastern Europe in the Communist era. A
source of objective news, and thus also a source of hope, the daily
writes.
According to estimates, Radio Farda broadcasts, the listening to which is
illegal in Iran, are sought by up to 15 per cent of the country's
population of 70 million. The banned station can be heard to play
silently from radios in offices as well as people's cars, and many listen
to it through satellites. Three-quarters of millions of users visit the
station's Prague Internet servers every month, Mlada fronta Dnes writes.
The station broadasts 24 hours a day. Apart from newscasts, it devotes
much time to music in order to attract the young generation.
Radio Farda is not the only source of information and programmes from
abroad. Foreign media broadcasting to Iran also include, for example,
several television stations from the USA, which, financed by Iranian
emigrants, are openly antigovernment.
"Now and then I watch them at the neighbour's. Sometimes it is really
horrible. It is a propaganda in its purest form. They overdo it, people
don't believe them," the paper quotes Iranian doctor Farhang as saying.
The symbol of objective information are the Persian broadcasts of the
BBC, and more and more also Radio Farda, only half a year old.
Before, the RFE's "Persian service" broadcast from Prague to Iran for
several years. Later it was joined by the Persian broadcasts of the Voice
of America, by which a new station was formed. Of its 30-strong staff,
about 20 people work in Prague and 10 in Washington.
Radio Farda does much for its programmes to be variable in order to
attract young listeners, as two-thirds of the Iranian population are
people under 30.
"We are neither a subversive station nor a mouthpiece of America. This
would be a mistake," one of the radio's employees, who requested
anonymity, told the paper.
"Our task is to carry objective information as the only way to make
people believe us," he added.
The launch of the Persian service broadcasts from Prague prompted a
diplomatic rift in 1998. Tehran even withdrew its ambassador from Prague.
However, the situation has calmed down in the meantime and Farda Radio
reporters say Teheran makes no attempts at intervening against them or
threatening them.
Source: CTK news agency, Prague, in English 0807 gmt 7 Jul 03 (BBCM Jul
07, 2003)
Judgment Day: July 9 and Beyond (excerpt)
By Pooya Dayanim, National Review Online
July 8, 2003
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-dayanim070803.asp
The regime has closed the University of Tehran. All other universities
are closed. The so-called reformist city council and the Khatami
government have banned all rallies and demonstrations inside university
campuses and outside in the streets. Newspapers inside Iran have been
told not to report what is happening. The few foreign journalists who are
there are being urged to cover the visit of the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) chief (when the regime will promise more cooperation
on its nuclear program in order to divert world attention from the
popular unrest) and stay away from any gatherings. There is currently no
freedom of speech, no freedom of press and no freedom of assembly in a
dictatorship some naively call a "democracy."
The streets of Tehran and several other major cities are swarming with
members of the revolutionary guard, the Hezbollah militia, plainclothes
thugs, foreign mercenaries, and others hired by the regime to immediately
suppress and crush any gatherings.
And it seems the regime has not settled for suppressing the people inside
Iran, but is now attempting to silence the pro-democracy voices outside
of Iran. For the past two days, three Los Angeles-based satellite TV
stations (NITV, Azadi TV, and Channel One) that were largely responsible
for carrying political messages and urging pro-democracy activists to
pour to the streets of Tehran have had their signals jammed — at a time
when they are about to play a potentially historic role in the liberation
of Iran. (Disturbingly, there are indications that the signals are being
stopped from locations in Europe and the U.S.) The regime has also
restricted access to the website of Reza Pahlavi
(http://www.rezapahlavi.org), the website of the student movement
(http://www.daneshjoo.org), as well as access to the website of the three
satellite television stations. Meanwhile, the other Satellite
broadcasters that are beaming non-political content into Iran have not
had their signals jammed.
All of this, however, is irrelevant. The people of Iran (inside Iran and
outside) want an end to this evil regime. Freedom will prevail. There
will be demonstrations. The regime with attack, but the people will fight
back. Today, in Los Angeles, several thousand Iranian Americans will
stand in solidarity with people of Iran. Tomorrow, Iranian Americans will
stand in solidarity with the people of Iran in front of Capitol Hill and
will be joined by members of Congress (make sure your member is there)
who believe that the people of Iran deserve freedom.
(Pooya Dayanim is the president of the U.S.-based Iranian Jewish Public
Affairs Committee (IJPAC).)
(National Review Jul 8, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
Mit Störsendern gegen Störsender
Mit technischen Tricks wehrt sich das Regime in Teheran gegen
hochprofessionelle TV-Programme in persischer Sprache. Die aber werden
von iranischen Exilanten beim "großen Satan" in Los Angeles produziert
und ausgestrahlt. Ziel: der Machtwechsel
TAZ Berlin, 9.Juli 2003, Seite 18, 188
von ROLAND HOFWILER
Die Perser sind fernsehbegeistert, behauptet zumindest das "National
Iranian TV". Nach Angaben des Senders hängen in diesen Tagen angeblich so
viele Iraner vor der
Mattscheibe wie nie zuvor. Doch der Grund der Begeisterung, so die
Fernsehmacher, sind nicht allein die Bilder über die waghalsige Trennung
der siamesischen Zwillinge Ladan und Laleh Bijani im fernen Singapur, die
derzeit um die Welt gehen, sondern die Iraner warten auch auf andere
Zeichen: "auf eine Zeitenwende". Am heutigen Mittwochabend, so prophezeit
es "National Iranian TV", werde "das Ende des Mullah-Regimes
eingeläutet".
Doch was verfolgt "National Iranian TV" (NITV) mit einer solchen
Verheißung? Der Sender, der trotz seines Namens nichts mit dem
staatlichen Nationalen Iranischen Fernsehen zu tun hat, gilt als
wichtigste politische Exilstimme der Mullah-Gegner. Die Redaktion im
amerikanischen Los Angeles macht keinen Hehl aus seiner Absicht, das
verhasste Regime in Teheran zu stürzen - mit Hilfe der enttäuschten
Jugend in der Heimat. Neben den Fernsehstationen "Channel One", "Azadi
TV" und "Simaye Azad" ist es dieser Exilsender, der seit Wochen die
Studenten und Jugendlichen in den großen Städten des Iran zu
Demonstrationen für Demokratie und westliche Freiheitsrechte aufstachelt.
Tausende sind mehrfach den Aufrufen gefolgt und hatten ihr Engagement
teuer bezahlt. Allein im Juni landeten nach Straßenschlachten mit
fundamentalistischen Schlägertrupps über 470 meist jugendliche
Regimegegner hinter Gittern. Und so blieben aus Angst vor staatlicher
Repression die von den Exilanten gewünschten Massendemonstrationen
bislang aus, mit denen der blutigen Unruhen des 9. Juli 1999 gedacht
werden sollte, als es für einen kurzen Augenblick danach aussah, die
Mullahs könnten ihre Macht verlieren.
Sollte es in den kommenden Tagen doch noch zu den ersehnten
Massenprotesten kommen, die Exilsender würden sofort ihr laufendes
Programm stoppen und nach Teheran schalten. Technisch sind die TV-Sender
auf diese Sitation gewappnet - mit stillschweigendem Einvernehmen der
amerikanischen Regierung. Die setzte ihrerseits ein überraschendes
Zeichen: Seit Sonntag strahlt das offizielle Sprachrohr des
US-Außenministeriums, die Voice of America, ein neues persischsprachiges
Satellitenfernsehprogramm gen Iran aus. "Wir wollen einen weiteren
Beitrag für den Kampf um Freiheit und Selbstbestimmung leisten", so der
Direktor der US-Behörde für Auslandsprogramme, Kenneth Tomlinson, vorige
Woche bei Vorstellung des Projekts, und Außenamtssprecher Richard Boucher
ergänzte: "Wir glauben nicht, dass es auf eine Einmischung, in was auch
immer, hinausläuft, wenn man Informationen zur Verfügung stellt." Aus
Teheraner Sicht sind die "Feindsender" aus den USA allerdings nichts
anderes als eine "moderne Form subtiler Kriegsführung", gegen die man
sich wehren muss. Mit verstärkten Razzien gegen Besitzer von
Satellitenschüssel, die derzeit aufgrund einer Gesetzeslücke weder
verboten noch erlaubt sind, versuchen die Behörden mancherorts den
unliebsamen Wellen Einhalt zu gebieten. In den größeren Städten werden
zudem auf die Schnelle mobile Störsender
aufgebaut, mit denen es hin und wieder tatsächlich gelingt, die eine oder
andere Satellitenfrequenz zu unterbrechen. So bestätigte gestern NITV auf
seiner Homepage (www.nitv.tv), dass es dem "teuflischen Regime" in
Teheran am Sonntag wieder einmal gelungen sei, den Empfang in der Heimat
zu behindern.
Diesem Katz-und-Maus-Spiel, ständig wechselnde Programmstellplätze auf
der einen und Razzien und Störaktionen auf der anderen Seite, sind die
Herrschenden im Iran letzlich nicht gewachsen. Anders als einst in
Afghanistan oder Irak, wo die einfachen Menschen sich gerade noch ein
Radio leisten konnten, genießen die Menschen im Iran einen weit höheren
Lebensstandard; moderne Fernsehgeräte, Satellitenschüsseln und
Videorekorder gehören längst in jeden bürgerlichen Haushalt.
Mit einem Digitalreceiver sind im Iran über die Satelliten Eutel- und
Intelsat kaum weniger Programme zu empfangen als in Mitteleuropa. Und so
klafft zwischen den archaischen Idealen des Mullah-Regimes und den
westlichen Freiheitsvorstellungen, vermittelt über die unzähligen
Fernsehkanäle, eine unüberbrückbare Kluft. Diese wird mit jedem weiteren
TV-Programm größer.
Es sind nicht nur die Politsender "NITV", "Channel One", "Azadi TV" und
"Simaye Azad" in persischer Sprache, die dem Regime Kopfzerbrechen
bereiten. Neben Music-Channels wie MTV und Viva oder Modekanälen wie
Fashion TV gibt es eine ganze Reihe persischsprachiger Sender, die sich
kaum von Sat.1 oder RTL 2 unterscheiden. Sie heißen "Tapesh", "Your TV",
"Jam-e-Jam" oder "Pars" und senden Krimis, Western und Realityshows, eben
einen Mix, den die Mullahs pauschal als Teufelswerk verdammen und aus dem
gesellschaftlichen Leben zu verbannen trachten. Und genau dagegen
rebelliert die Jugend, nicht nur am Jahrestag der Studentenunruhen von
1999.
(TAZ Berlin Jul 9, 2003 via R.Hofwiler-D for CRW)
U.S. Satellite Feeds to Iran Jammed
May be linked to the anniversary of student uprisings
By Robert Windrem, NBC News
July 9, 2003
http://www.msnbc.com/news/936772.asp?0cv=CB10&cp1=1
U.S. government officials as well as Iranian Americans and communications
satellite operators confirm that all U.S.-based satellite broadcasts to
Iran are being jammed by an unknown group or individual, possibly Iranian
agents operating out of Latin America.
Over the past several several months, private Iranian-American groups
have begun increasing their broadcasts into Iran using Telstar-12, a
communications satellite over the eastern Atlantic. All are trying to
encourage protests against the regime in Tehran.
Iranians, using small satellite dishes, have been able to receive the
broadcast, whose mix of news, entertainment and exhortations to protest
have gained a large audience, particularly in Tehran. Then on Sunday, the
Voice of America began its Farsi-language broadcasts.
Not long afterward, the jamming intensified.
Over the past few days - as the fourth anniversary of the country's most
widespread protests approached - the broadcasts have been jammed, not in
Iran but somewhere in the Americas, according to officials and
investigators.
The Farsi language broadcasts, by the Los Angeles-based ParsTV and
Appadana
TV, are uplinked in the US via Telstar-5 which is over the United States.
They are then turned around at the Washington International Teleport in
Alexandria, VA where they are joined by the VOA broadcast and uplinked
again to Telstar-12 over the eastern Atlantic Ocean.
It is Telstar-12 that is being jammed, say investigators for companies
working with the broadcasters, cutting off broadcasts not only in Iran
but in Europe and the rest of the Middle East as well. In the past, the
Iranian government, using high-power transmitters on towers in cities
such as Tehran have been able to jam it locally. The fact that TV viewers
elsewhere can't see it was the first hint that the jamming was happening
on this side of the Atlantic.
Loral, which operates the satellite, declined comment on what it is doing
in response.
"The jamming appears to be linked to the anniversary of the student
uprisings," said one investigator for a company working with the
broadcasters who preferred to remain anonymous. "It's malicious, not a
prank. For us, it began yesterday, continues today. Not only are the
Iranian signals jammed, but those of other nearby broadcasters are as
well. We have a Chinese client who is being jammed.
"There are ways of determining the location of the interference," he
added. "It is complex and time-consuming. Basically, you look at minimal
interference other nearby satellites are experiencing and then you
triangulate."
But he added, Loral has yet to find the source. "They can't find the
exact location. They say it is probably in the Caribbean or South
America. They are reworking the numbers and may have something better in
the morning."
Finding the satellite carrying the Farsi-language broadcast signals is
easy, he added. "It's on the Internet."
As for the actual jamming, its simply a matter of aiming a strong signal
at the uplink transponder on the satellite and overwhelming the Farsi
language broadcasters' signals.
Said the investigator: "You need a dish, some power, not too much. You
put up a test pattern ... and do a sweep and find the transponder on the
satellite you want to jam. It could even be smaller than the standard
6-meter dish. It could be a small dish with a lot of power."
BBC's Media Monitoring Service, which provides capsules of various
foreign TV broadcasts for subscribers, described the jamming as "a
mysterious, interfering signal, rendering the broadcasts unwatchable."
It reported problems began on Sunday, the day VOA began its broadcast,
with the worst jamming taking place over the past two days with the
jamming extending to all the Farsi-language broadcasts emanating from the
United States.
Late Wednesday, monitors reported that jamming had become sporadic.
The anniversary of the student demonstrations, the largest since the fall
of the shah in 1979, was Wednesday.
The investigator said Intelsat, a big satellite consortium that has a
nearby "bird," is telling people the jamming is coming from South
America. [There is a large Iranian community in the so-called "triborder"
region around the Igazu Falls area where Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay
meet. There is also a significant presence of the Hezbollah organization
there with a reputation for violence. Hezbollah operators from the region
are believed to have been responsible for one or both of the attacks on
the Israeli community in Buenos Aires over the past decade, killing more
than 100 Israelis and Argentine Jews.]
A representative of one of the Iranian-American broadcasters said he
suspected the jamming came from Cuba, which has excellent relations with
Iran, but offered no proof.
Iran's Minister of Post, Telegraph and Telephone Ahmad Mo'tamedi denies
government approval for the jamming and President Mohamed Khatami has
called for action to be taken against those responsible, according to the
BBC Media monitors.
Robert Windrem is an investigative producer for NBC News, based in New
York.
(MSNBC Jul 9, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
The Voice of the Iranian Revolution
If Iran's hard-liners are having trouble sleeping, and they probably are,
it is because Iranians are fed up. And they are fed up because they are
finally getting the truth about how bad Iran really is broadcast by
satellite from, of all places, Tinseltown.
By Dale Hurd, CBN News
July 9, 2003
http://www.cbn.com/CBNNews/News/030709a.asp
LOS ANGELES - Some believe Iran's hard-line Islamic government could fall
within the next six to eight months. If it does, it will happen, in part,
because of a group of small TV stations broadcasting into Iran. They are
run by Iranian Americans, and they are causing more trouble for Iran's
hard-line government than the CIA ever could.
If Iran's hard-liners are having trouble sleeping, and they probably are,
it is because Iranians are fed up. And they are fed up because they are
finally getting the truth about how bad Iran really is broadcast by
satellite from, of all places, Tinseltown.
Iran's hard-line religious leaders have long warned their people about
the evils of Hollywood -but little did they know. Los Angeles may be the
entertainment capital of the world, but entertainment is not the mullahs'
problem.
In a low-budget studio on a sleepy street in North Hollywood, they are
stirring up an Iranian revolution. They do it by delivering factual news,
by poking fun at Iran's religious leaders, and by urging Iranians to
stand up for their future. It is called National Iranian television, or
NITV. And it is the brainchild of a one-time Iranian pop star named Zia
Atabay.
When CBN News commented that Atabay was changing the government on Iran,
he replied, "It's not me changing the government of Iran. It's Iranian
and young people changing the government of Iran. But they didn't have a
voice. And they didn't have hope. They didn't have someone to tell their
story. And NITV is the voice of the Iranian people."
Atabay did not start NITV as a way of bringing down the mullahs. It was
going to bring Persian culture and entertainment to Iranians living in
this country. So he took family money and started broadcasting on a
shoestring. But in a now famous goof, one day an engineer threw the wrong
switch.
Atabay said, "Somebody by mistake connected our signal to the European
and Middle East satellite and we find out they are seeing us, in Iran.
And Iranian people thought there was a revolution."
NITV can now reach about one quarter of the Iranian population by
satellite. After 9/11, when Atabay called on Iranians to show their
support for America, thousands turned out for a candlelight vigil. And
when street demonstrations broke out this year, the Iranian-American
stations acted as a communications hub for the protestors.
Iran expert Michael Ledeen said, "They serve to triangulate
communications between various cities in Iran. There's a lot of jamming
of cell phones and they turn off cells within the city so you can't
communicate with another city, but it's sometimes possible for them to go
and call Los Angeles and then that gets put on the air and relayed all
over Iran."
Iranians, frustrated at their government, have come to rely on Atabay.
"They call me father. They call me uncle. They cry on my show. They send
me thousands and thousands of emails. They believe that I can help them.
I tell them: 'The future is yours. This is your country. You have to
choose what you want. Nobody can tell you. Not America, not me, not
someone else. You are going to choose what you want,'" Atabay said.
And Atabay says what his Iranian viewers tell him they want is a secular
government. They want equal rights for women and civil rights for all. He
says they love George W. Bush and want good relations with America.
One of the most popular shows on NITV features comedian Ali Dean as
"Mullah Hajji," sort of an Islamic Colonel Klink, something that would
put them all in the klink if they were in Iran. In fact, NITV has become
so watched inside Iran, that Atabay now lives under a death threat.
Iran's hard-liners have sanctioned his murder, and although he is trying
to move into better facilities, the money is running out.
So Atabay is making this plea to Washington: "Help. I need your help. I
can make a lot of the changes, with no war, with no bullet, with no
blood. I need your help," Atabay said.
But Atabay's plea has fallen largely upon largely deaf ears. Republican
Sen. Sam Brownback has proposed legislation that would channel millions
of dollars into stations like NITV, but leaders of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee oppose the amendment, and few observers expect it to
pass this year.
"I'm just one person, I don't have a lot of power, I don't have a lot of
connection in Capitol or in Washington, D.C., but I did it, what I could
do. But the problem is nobody helps. Nobody helps. It's very hard. We are
behind and we keep going, we keep going, till, with the wish and hope
that one day, somebody will help and we can make this voice stronger,"
said Atabay.
Ledeen says there is plenty of blame for all sides.
He said, "The real scandal here is not so much that the U.S. government
is not supporting them, which it should, but that the Iranian community,
which is an extremely wealthy community, is not supporting them at the
level they deserve."
Ironically, the one group that did offer Atabay a lot of money was the
Iranian government, if he would shut down. He refused.
"I didn't accept it. And I said the price of freedom is higher than what
you're offering me," said Atabay.
So, Zia Atabay presses on. He figures, if he is not out of business in
eight months, Iran's Islamic government just might be.
(CBN News Jul 9, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
Zia Atabay: Broadcasting Freedom into Iran
CBN News
July 9, 2003
http://www.cbn.com/CBNNews/News/030709d.asp
An Iranian broadcaster named Zia Atabay started a small TV station in Los
Angeles, California to bring Persian culture to the Iranians living in
the U.S.
An Iranian broadcaster named Zia Atabay started a small TV station in Los
Angeles, California to bring Persian culture to the Iranians living in
the U.S. Now, his voice is heard in Iran where change may be on the
brink, thanks in part to his bravery. But the U.S. government refuses to
help fund his call for peaceful change. Pat Robertson spoke with Zia
Atabay to learn more about his station and why the government won't
help.PAT ROBERTSON: Joining us now from Washington is Zia Atabay, the
founder of National Iranian Television. What brings you to Washington
today?
ZIA ATABAY: Good morning and thank you for having me here. Today I am in
Washington, D.C. because in the capital, all of the Iranian, most of the
Iranians in exile have come to the capitol to support the Iranian
students and freedom fighters. And I am coming to be with the people.
ROBERTSON: This is a big day, isn't it? This is the anniversary of that
big demonstration. Is there going to be a big one do you think and is one
in progress right now?
ATABAY: It started from two weeks ago. And the Iranian government planned
this, and it is 48 hours that they jam all of our signals, radio, and
television and everything. And what has scared me is that this jamming
signal is not from Iran. It is from North America and in the last 24
hours, they are trying to cut our voices and connection. And they are
jamming, they cut all of the cellular phone, all internet. But I think
for first time out of Iran will be a lot of demonstration all over the
world.
ROBERTSON: Wait a minute. You say the jamming is out of North America? As
in State Department, CIA, United States government?
ATABAY: They know it because we called and told them. I asked for help
and I said, "That's not fair. I am an American businessman and I have a
broadcast, I'm a broadcaster and that is happening. This is a terrorist
act and I need your help. I don't have the power." And they say they are
working on it. But no answer from the State Department or CIA or FBI.
ROBERTSON: Well, you're doing this all yourself. Your wife I believe is a
plastic surgeon, or has a plastic surgery business and you took money
that she was providing and your own money to start this wonderful
station. And you don't get anything from the government of the United
States at all?
ATABAY: No, no, Pat, no. They are talking, as you know, as you said in
your news, that they are talking about $56 million. But you know, some
people they don't want it and they are not agreeing with it. So we didn't
get any help.
ROBERTSON: The whole thing is incomprehensible to me. This operation
we've had in Iraq is costing something in the neighborhood of 75 billion,
that's "B" for billion dollars. And just a few million could make the
difference between life or death for your station.
ATABAY: You know what, what makes me scared now. It is that I feel alone
because the Iranian government, you know how it is. It is powerful, it's
brutal, it spends the money only when it needs the power, more power. And
I thought what I am doing, it is good for both nation Iran and America,
and the Iranian people they love America and they want to be free. They
want to live like Americans and they thought America would support them.
And President Bush said we are going to support the Iranian people. But I
don't know what support and how support and when it will be the support.
ROBERTSON: What crimes have the Iranian government committed against
their people? Can you give us some examples?
ATABAY: You name it. They are cutting the hands and the legs. This
morning, when I land in the airport, Dulles Airport, I had a call from a
Mohammady sister in Germany and she says three days ago, they got her,
the Mohammady two brothers they are in jail for a long time, years. And
then two days ago, they picked up the father and a small daughter in the
street. Now, today, this morning they called the home and they said to
the mother that you have to come with the younger son to the court. And
you know, they [the government] don't care. All the family, they are in
jails. There is no space anywhere for jail. They are cutting, they are
killing. There are 19 years, young people they tortured and kill them and
throw them in the freeway and they drove over it to show as an accident.
But when the mother took the body and searched the body there was all
over the sign of the torture.
ROBERTSON: The thing that disturbs me is that these people claim to be
religious. They claim to be acting - they say Allah, I'm not going to say
"God" for that - but claim they are acting for Allah. This has to be a
mockery or is it a mockery of anything that we know as religious?
ATABAY: Pat, what they did to their religion, they believe that it's good
religion, and they destroyed it. You know it, that it started any act in
the world, it started from 24 years, and they supporting anyone that goes
to war against the western civilization. It's Argentina and Hamas and
Palestine and Germany. And anywhere, all of the wars they are killing the
people if they talk anything against them.
ROBERTSON: You know, you and I share something. They have put a hit out
on me as well as you so congratulations, I think. They are not going to
succeed with you either. But let me ask you, this one last question. Are
they going to come down? Are the people goanna be able to have what
amounts to a peaceful revolution and pull these mullahs out of power?
ATABAY: I hope that you will give me three minutes to try to explain
something to you. Look Pat, they will come down because there's nothing
left for them. There is not any light in their tunnel, not for the
Iranian people and not for the government. But how they come down is up
to us. I know it that in the future America and other country, they have
to, if they don't help us and they don't help Iranian people, that we go
to war, we change the government, there will be war. Because the Iranian
government will not stop here even if they sign anything, any contract or
anything saying they are not going to make bomb or chemical weapon. They
are not the kind of person that you can trust them. So one day America
has to go to war and how many of our soldiers will get killed, and how
many of Iranian, innocent Iranians will get killed and how much money we
have to lose. But now that Iranian people, they think America will help
them and they, they are very powerful, they feel powerful because the
war, supporting them. I hope that they do it. I hope they stop signing
contract with Iranian government for money. And I think in the next eight
or nine months the Iranian government will come down.
ROBERTSON: Zia, thank you very much. Zia Atabay, a very courageous man
ladies and gentlemen who has a free television station in Los Angeles
that is very popular, broadcast via satellite into Iran, and is stirring
that nation for freedom where that spark of freedom is burning brightly.
But isn't it a shame ladies and gentlemen, the waste that is spent by the
United States Congress on every kind of boondoggle you've ever heard of
in this world. And they support billions of dollars overseas for the arms
for various nations, but they can't find one dime to give to a voice of
freedom against the nation which may well possess a nuclear bomb which
may well be used against our forces, Saudi Arabia and Israel. Zia Atabay,
a very courageous man, we ask you to pray for him.
(CBN News Jul 9, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
Iran: Persian TV transmission from USA jammed in neighbouring states
Text of report by Iranian Baztab web site on 9 July
For the past two days, most of the Persian television programmes from Los
Angeles are jammed by devices either inside America or in one of the
neighbouring countries. The programmes are transmitted [to Iran] via
Telestar-12 satellite.
Daily Iran, wrote: At present, only one television network is active in
Los Angeles which relays programmes of the other channels.
Source: Baztab web site, Tehran, in Persian 0740 gmt 9 Jul 03 (BBCM Jul
9, 2003)
Analysis: US-based Iranian satellite TV, radio disrupted
Text of editorial analysis by Martin Peters of BBC Monitoring Media
Services on 1 July 2003
In the week that Voice of America TV rolled out a nightly
Persian-language news programme, and with the launch of another US-based
radio station beaming into Iran, the satellite carrying these and other
services has been targeted by a mysterious, interfering signal, rendering
the broadcasts unwatchable.
A raft of opposition, pro-monarchist TV and radio stations, originating
in the US and intended for viewers in Iran, has been easily available to
anyone in the Middle East with a modest satellite dish directed towards
the Telstar 12 satellite.
The jamming of satellite signals is not a new phenomenon. The earliest
recorded instance can be traced back to April 1986, when viewers of the
Home Box Office channel were surprised to find programming interrupted by
a caption, signed by "Captain Midnight", criticizing a recent HBO price
hike. A year later the Playboy Channel suffered a similar indignity.
In December 1995, programmes from Med-TV, a Kurdish station broadcasting
to Turkey, were disrupted. Monitoring observations implied deliberate
jamming, but an identification of its origin could not be made. Med-TV's
satellite service providers suspected deliberate sabotage, as the
incident took place during a scheduled live debate which included a
contribution from the then Chairman of the urdistan Workers' Party (PKK),
Abdullah Ocalan. A report in the Turkish national daily Sabah claimed
that the Turkish authorities were to blame.
In China, the outlawed Falun Gong broke into satellite transmissions from
state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV). Previous attempts by
the movement were limited to hacking into local cable systems and
replacing bona fide programming with their own material. In September
2002, the satellite carrying CCTV programming to China was hijacked by
Falun Gong and used to distribute "cult propaganda" across the entire
country. The Chinese authorities claimed they were certain that the
interfering signal was originating from Taiwan's capital, Taipei, and
demanded that the "Taiwan province" put a stop to the criminal activity.
Fifteen people were later convicted and sentenced for up to 20 years for
breaking into community cable TV systems. Meanwhile, the Taiwan-based
satellite hacker remains free.
During the recent conflict in the Gulf, Iraqi satellite television
temporarily fell victim to jamming when, on the opening night of
hostilities, the Space Channel's usual diet of news and patriotic songs
was substituted with colour bars from an unknown source. Later, the
station was to suffer repeated attempts to knock it off the air by more
conventional, military means.
So to Iran, where the authorities seem set on clamping down on access to
foreign media. With rising levels of tension in Tehran, spearheaded by
student protests, and encouraged, the Iranian government says, by
US-based media outlets, confiscation of satellite dishes by the
authorities has increased. Hitherto, a long-standing government ban on
dishes had been flouted, with most middle class homes having access to
satellite.
Residents of Tehran who have managed to retain their dishes, and who are
in the habit of tuning in to satellite broadcasts from abroad, have
recently discovered their reception disrupted by a network of jamming
facilities placed in and around the capital. The Persian daily newspaper
Hambastegi quoted an Iranian MP acknowledging that a "military
organization was transmitting powerful signals from several of its bases
and a number of mobile stations installed in trucks".
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), continued exposure to
the high levels of microwave radiation required to jam the offending
signals, could effect people's health, including male fertility, and this
has caused official concern in Iran.
The jamming signals are said to be wreaking havoc with legitimate users
of the radio spectrum including Internet services and the local phone
network.
Iran's Minister of Post, Telegraph and Telephone Ahmad Mo'tamedi denies
government approval for the jamming and President Khatami has called for
action to be taken against those responsible.
Pro-monarchy TV and radio stations beamed into Iran have suffered similar
disruption once before, when in 1996, they were targeted by ground-based
jammers.
Following a brief spell on Eutelsat's Hotbird, where they also suffered
from interference, the stations moved to Telstar 12, a satellite that can
be configured only to accept and relay signals from north America. This
indicates that the current spate of jamming is being beamed from the
Americas. Sporadic, only partially effective, interference was first
noted on 6 July, and again on the following day. Observations on 8 July
indicated an increase in the signal level of the interference, making
reception of any of the channels impossible. Satellite owner Loral
continue with their investigations.
What can be done about those who would wish to steal satellite
frequencies to broadcast their message, and others wanting to silence
rebellious broadcasts from afar?
With the intention of preventing a repetition of previous intrusions,
China has bought a French-made Apstar satellite which includes 'special
technology' to prevent malicious interruptions to broadcasts. Ever more
satellite manufacturers offer craft incorporating just such a feature.
Innovations such as this should ensure that satellite hijacking is no
longer an option. However, the deliberate jamming of 'undesirable'
stations and their messages will, it seems, still be possible, leaving
frustrated viewers with blank screens, and broadcasters without an
audience.
Source: BBC Monitoring research 9 Jul 03 (BBCM Jul 09, 2003)
Iran : Al-Alam TV Content Survey on 8 July 03
Text of editorial analysis by BBC Monitoring Middle East desk on 8 July
Judging from the programmes surveyed today, the main topics which are
given prominence by Al-Alam TV are Islam and the revival of Islamic
thought and the ensuing debate on political Islam, jihad and its violent
corollary, terrorism, in addition to the Palestinian cause and the
situation in Iraq.
Al-Alam TV's editorial line is not blatantly militant or anti-western but
it is obvious that the choice of the guests taking part in the various
discussions almost betrays the underlying intention and the political
message the television wants to convey since these guests still talk
about "US imperialism", "western colonialism", the "Zionist entity" and
"occupation".
Al-Alam TV's news bulletins today all led with the crash of the Sudanese
plane and not with the situation in Iraq for example. In fact, Iraq was
relegated to third position, well after the latest Palestinian
developments and Bush's African tour, which were reported factually. Even
when reporting that Islamic Jihad had reiterated its commitment to abide
by the truce agreement, Al-Alam TV did not, as one would expect, make any
comment. The only hint of criticism of the Americans and their intentions
was a report about US troops patrolling the streets of Baghdad and
lending a hand to help ease traffic congestion in order "to win the
friendship of the Iraqis", something the Iranians must certainly view
with suspicion.
An equally subtle reflection of Alam TV's editorial line can be found in
the articles chosen for the press review and these start with the row in
London over the intelligence report on weapons of mass destruction, the
increasing number of attacks on US troops in Iraq, the real motives
behind Bush's African tour and the efforts by the US administration to
defuse the tension with Turkey.
It is common knowledge that a Saudi-Iranian rapprochement is well under
way and yet one of the participants in a programme called "After the
event", devoted today to Al-Qa'idah and Bin-Ladin, was a Saudi dissident
identified as Hamzah al-Hasan, from the Alliance for Democracy in Saudi
Arabia, who was interviewed via satellite link from London. The dissident
openly talked about the need for reforms in Saudi Arabia and he also
urged the Saudi regime to seek legitimacy through the ballot box and to
put an end to repression. This contribution, aired on Iranian TV, will
undoubtedly be viewed by the Saudi authorities at least as an unfriendly
gesture. But Al-Alam TV's argument would be that it was all done in the
name of freedom of expression and this is exactly what the millions of
Arab viewers crave and appreciate.
(BBCM Jul 09, 2003)
Iran: Al-Alam TV content survey on 9 July 03
Text of editorial analysis by BBC Monitoring Middle East desk on 9 July
Al-Alam TV introduces itself as a news channel and most of the programmes
surveyed today indeed have a strong news element in them. These include
"Today's cartoons" which is a selection of cartoons from several Arabic
newspapers where the emphasis is on the situation in Iraq and also on
Bush's African tour. The choice of the cartoons largely makes up for the
absence of any comment on the subject matter. One of the cartoons which
stood out was one from the Jordanian Al-Ra'i which depicts several oil
wells and a big gun going through the biggest, pointing from the bottom
upwards, while a banner with the word Iraq written on it is floating over
the smallest of these wells.
A review of the Arab press leads with the controversy surrounding the
resignation of the Palestinian prime minister from Fatah's Central
Committee as a result of mounting criticisms of his handling of the
negotiations with Israel. This is best summed up in the following quote
chosen by the programme makers: "Mahmud Abbas is caught between Israel's
intransigence and the demands of the Palestinian people."
The second subject in this review is the increasing attacks on US troops
in Iraq and Bush's African tour and its real objectives. A telephone
interview with Al-Sharq al-Awsat correspondent in Cairo on Egyptian
efforts to mediate between the main Palestinian factions is also
incorporated into the review.
A live programme called "Iraq today" opens with a commentary which
questions Washington's motives for going to war and this undoubtedly
reflects the official opinion in Iran. The following excerpts are
self-explanatory: "The goals and the premises on which America based its
decision to launch its war on Iraq was to fight what it called terrorism
and also defend US interests and ensure US security, in other words
protect US interests against any dangers and this means securing these
interests... America wants to ensures its security first and foremost and
it could not care less about the Iraqis except what is described in the
political jargon as the least important subject worth following up. So
will the future be at the expense of the security of the Iraqis or will
America move away from what is putting it in a difficult position with
the Iraqi people and the peoples of the region who are rejecting the
continued American presence which is taking the form of an occupation."
The 20'-long world press review, broadcast live the first time, focuses
on three main topics, the Americans, Iraq and Bush in Africa. Quotes are
taken from the French-language Canadian publication Cyberpresse which
reports that the "Americans are the most armed people in the world". The
New York Times is said to be critical of the US administration's aid
record in an article headlined "A rich nation, a poor continent", as Bush
tours Africa. The Ecuadorian newspaper Cronica denounces US pressures on
the government to grant immunity to US soldiers while the Italian
newspaper La Repubblica highlights the fact that the Bush administration
used forged documents and false information to strengthen its case about
the Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. Another Italian newspaper, Il
Manifesto, wrote about the increasing number of attacks on US troops in
Iraq and the possibility that NATO might send its own troops.
Britain is not spared either. The review quotes the French newspaper Les
Echos which writes about a drop in industrial output and predicts worse
to come. The Daily Express is mentioned with a report on Blair telling
the House of Commons he did not mislead MPs to justify his decision to
send British troops to Iraq.
Another programme called "Political portfolio" is today devoted to
African issues, a way maybe to suggest that Al-Alam TV is not interested
only in US-related issues. This time there are reports about
reconciliation talks in Somalia, the Western Sahara issue and Bush's
African tour. A lecturer in international affairs from Hilwan University,
in Cairo, is interviewed by phone to talk about the real objectives
behind Bush's African tour.
This is followed by a 10'-long historical documentary on the occupation
of Palestinian lands by the "Zionists" in 1948 and the plight of the
Palestinian refugees. After a news bulletin, a programme called "Cards"
[Arabic: awraq] deals with the issue of Blair's relations with Bush and
Britain's role in Europe. The studio guest is the editor-in-chief of
Al-Nur magazine, Abd-al-Hasan al-Amin, who argues that the British prime
minister did not turn the Labour Party into a Conservative Party but
merely adopted conservative policies. Pressed into saying that Blair had
lied to parliament, the guest merely replied that it was not his concern,
saying instead that he would much prefer to find out which Arab leaders
helped America in its war, which remained neutral and which opposed it.
Al-Amin also ignored leading questions from his host about Blair's
political survival and Bush's chances in the next elections, and he said
that the opposition in Britain was not strong enough to pose any threat
to the Labour Party and that he did not think that Bush would lose next
year's election.
What transpires from this live discussion and other debates surveyed so
far is that despite leading questions from the anchorman, the guests feel
free to express their own views which are not necessarily very critical
of US or British policies. Whether these guests get invited again is
another issue.
The news bulletins today lead with the visit of the IAEA's
director-general to Iran and his talks with senior officials. The
statements made by the Iranian officials are quoted extensively. It is
worth pointing out, however, that when talking about President Khatami
and his meeting with Al-Baradi'i, the newsreader says "Khatami announced
his country's readiness to cooperate seriously", which suggests that
Al-Alam TV would like its viewers to regard it as an international
channel and not necessarily as an Iranian station, at least for the sake
of credibility.
Source: BBC Monitoring research 9 Jul 03 (BBCM Jul 09, 2003)
REGIME IMPOSES NEWS BLACKOUT.
As of 7:30 a.m. Tehran time on 10 July, domestic Iranian broadcasting
carried no news of the previous night's events. Moreover, the broadcasts
of Los Angeles-based Persian-language satellite-television stations, such
as Pars TV, Channel 1 TV, NITV, and Azadi TV, were being jammed and could
not be received in Iran. Mobile-telephone service in parts of Tehran
allegedly was shut down, too. The websites of the news agencies ISNA,
Baztab, Mehr, and Fars were not updated during the night, and although it
was updated regularly the official Islamic Republic News
Agency (IRNA) carried no news about the unrest. The reformist Iranian
print media complained that it was acting on a government directive that
forbade reporting about the events of the previous day. A 10 July
editorial in "Yas-i No" apologized because it could not mention "a single
word about the 9 July anniversary of that regrettable and criminal
event." It said that "every reference to 9 July, except the date of
publication, had to be removed because of the imposed restrictions."
("RFE/RL Newsline" Jul 10, 2003)
Iran: Al-Alam TV content survey 10 July 03
Text of editorial analysis by BBC Monitoring Middle East desk on 10 July
Al-Alam TV's programmes today were very much in keeping with yesterday's
schedule. The themes of the cartoons selected from Arabic newspapers
remained the situation in the occupied territories and the presence of US
troops in Iraq. Apart from the 1800 gmt news bulletin, all the others led
with the killing of three US soldiers in separate attacks in Iraq, with
factual reports, although the newsreader did talk about the "Iraqi
resistance" stepping up its attacks.
A prominent place was also given to statements made by Rumsfeld and Bush
amid the mounting criticism they are both facing at home, especially
since the US president himself has admitted that the US troops in Iraq
were facing a "security issue". This was followed by a report about the
Palestinian prime minister's denial of his resignation and another report
about the ongoing talks between the various Palestinian factions and the
annoyance expressed by Hamas with Israel's "provocative statements" and
its violations of the road map agreement. It is probably no coincidence
that Al-Alam TV's correspondent chose to send his dispatch from outside
the home of the spiritual leader of Hamas in Gaza.
A subsequent news report on the death of a Russian police officer in
Moscow, as he was defusing an explosive device, talks about "Chechen
fighters" and not terrorists. President Khatami's talks yesterday with
the IAEA's director-general were mentioned much later in the bulletin.
The 1800 gmt newscast led with a report that hundreds of Mojahedin-e
Khalq protesters tried to storm the Iranian embassy in Oslo and that the
Iranian ambassador had been taken to hospital suffering from chest pains.
The second report was a strong denial by the Iranian government of
Rumsfeld's accusation that Tehran had moved its border posts "several
kilometres into Iraqi territory". The attack on the Iranian embassy in
Norway thus far has only been reported by Al-Alam TV and by no other
Iranian media sources which again is an indication that this channel,
which is beamed from Arabsat, Asiasat and Telstar, is not primarily for
local Iranian consumption.
The Arab press review today led with Egypt's efforts to mediate between
the Palestinian factions and Prime Minister Mahmud Abbas. This was
followed by excerpts from articles on the White House's admission that
the document on Iraq's alleged attempt to acquire uranium from Niger was
forged, and also on reported disagreements over the formation of the new
government in Kuwait.
The world press review leads with an article from the Italian newspaper
L'Unita on US admissions that the document on Iraq's attempts to buy
uranium in Africa was a forgery. The Austrian paper Die Presse is quoted
on the US administration's decision to start withdrawing troops from
Iraq. The issue of US troops being killed in Iraq was dealt with by the
German paper Die Welt. The review also includes an article from the
London-based paper Daily Express on Tony Blair's attempts to "protect the
Guantanamo pair", the two British citizens being held in the US base on
Cuba, to ensure a fair trial for them.
The Moscow-based Vremya Novosti is selected for its interview with a
former aid to the French defence minister, Guillaume Parmentier, who
criticizes Washington for "imposing force on international relations".
The article chosen from the French paper Liberation deals with the
economic problems facing Prime Minister Raffarin.
The review picks up an article in the Washington Post on mounting
criticism facing Bush and Rumsfeld and the "US future in Iraq". Finally,
the Indonesian paper Republika is quoted as saying that the Jakarta
government is adopting a more independent policy towards Washington, and
this is corroborated by Indonesia's decision to purchase war planes from
Russia and not the USA. This, the paper adds, has irritated the US
administration to such an extent that five F20 jets violated Indonesian
airspace.
The "Iraq today" programme was devoted to the problems facing students
and university lecturers in Iraq now and during Saddam Husayn's rule. The
defunct regime is accused by one of the guests of concentrating more on
Iraq's militarization than on the development of higher education and
scientific research.
In terms of consistency in the use of what could be described as loaded
language, Al-Alam TV talks both about the "Zionist government" and
"Israel" and about the "Zionist war minister" and the "Israeli defence
minister". There does not seem to be any specific reason why one term is
used instead of the other.
Al-Alam TV is at pains to present itself as an objective channel. The
following trailer clearly sums up this pretension: "Events are unfolding
rapidly one after the other. Those in a position to speak are competing
with one another. Al-Alam network opens up another area of freedom for
the viewers to make their voices heard and enable them to express their
opinions because what goes on concerns them."
Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 10 Jul 03 (BBCM Jul 10, 2003)
Iranian minister criticizes jamming of satellite signals
The Iranian minister of post, telegraph and telephone, Ahmad Mo'tamedi,
has criticized the practice of jamming satellite pictures. "As far as the
technology is concerned, we should use its benefits and minimize its
damage," he said. "We believe that the current method that is used to
deal with satellite pictures is not right ... we should not ban the
principle of satellites, but define the legitimate satellites and sign
agreements under which good satellite channels can be offered to the
people for viewing," Mo'tamedi added. In his view, the current practice
of jamming satellite signals had not been done through legal channels, it
had created problems for satellite channel users and had harmed
telecommunications systems. On the subject of filtering Internet sites,
the minister said that Iran might be among the last to use filtering
software, and it had not gone to extremes in the methods used. The
following is the text of a report: "Minister of post, telegraph and
telephone: Jamming is not done through legal channels", published by the
Iranian newspaper Yas-e Now web site on 12 July:
The way in which satellite pictures are now being dealt with has not had
and will not have favourable results. In other words, we should not ban
satellites. We should define the legitimate satellites in various ways.
Dr Ahmad Mo'tamedi, minister of post, telegraph and telephone who was
speaking in an interview with ISNA, discussed the best ways of countering
new technology, and namely satellites. He also commented on the existence
of satellite jamming in the country and said: I do not think that
throughout the country and in various sectors, individual decisions can
deny the principle of the existence of satellites and its benefits.
However, there have always been concerns given the absence of control
over receiving satellite pictures and the threat against our country's
culture. But this is not exclusive to Iran. Western countries too have
similar concerns. Therefore, it is right to seek ways to deal with this
issue. But as far as technology is concerned, we should use its benefits
and minimize its damage.
He added: The main point is the method of countering this. We believe
that the current method that is used to deal with satellite pictures is
not right and it does not and will not have a favourable outcome. In
other words, we should not ban the principle of satellites, but define
the legitimate satellites and sign agreements under which good satellite
channels can be offered to the people for viewing.
He noted: We should use the benefits of this technology. Thus, satellite
jamming is wrong. Even if in the short-run it appears to be a correct
solution, it should be done through legal channels. But this is currently
not the case; and this has created problems for those who use satellite
channels. It has also harmed telecommunication systems as well.
Speaking about the measures adopted by the Ministry of Post, Telegraph
and Telephone on this issue, Dr Mo'tamedi said: There is a law on this.
First, the point of transmission and the frequencies can be found and
based on the law and established instructions, immediate steps can be
taken to gather equipment without taking the case to court. However, in
government-related sectors the issue cannot be directly dealt with. In
the recent case, things progressed according to the law. The legal phases
should be completed, and as soon as we receive the orders, we will start
to collect the jamming equipment.
Referring to the filtering of Internet sites, he said: This is a
prevalent principle in the world. We may be among the last countries that
are using filtering software. During the past few years, the highest
figures on filtering have been in the Persian Gulf littoral states where
the Internet is 100-per-cent government-controlled. This is not an issue
that has to do only with the Third World countries. It also applies to
the Western countries. However, the methods that are used are different.
He added: In some countries, a number of ISPs filter immoral sites,
something that has been welcomed by families. In cases where national
security is threatened or individuals are insulted, filtering is carried
out by the government. In our country, too I believe that despite the
millions of sites, we did not go to extremes in the methods that we used,
and we are always open to criticism
and review.
He recalled: According to the decision by the Supreme Cultural Revolution
Council - a decision that was confirmed by the Islamic Consultative
Assembly and signed by the president - a three-man committee comprising
representatives of the Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry, the Voice
and Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Intelligence Ministry
has been formed and assigned the duty of filtering obscene Internet sites
and sites that are against national security. Within this context, the
duty of filtering immoral sites has been assigned to telecommunications
as a matter of principle, and thus far, no-one has criticized this
filtering. However, this committee believes that the critical sites
should not be blocked.
Speaking about the number of sites that have been made public, he said: I
think that these are about 160-170 in number, with the exception of the
sites that have been identified as being indecent. Among these about 50
per cent are sites of counter-revolutionary groups and of the Monafeqin
[hypocrites - pejorative for the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization], as well
as offensive sites; and one cannot expect that action will not be taken
against these sites. The remainder is sites that insult religions. About
seven to nine news sites too have been blocked. Specifically, two sites
were allowed to operate 24 hours later after criticism and examination.
Since that date, we have not received any protests.
Dr Mo'tamedi noted: The important point here is the existence of more
precise regulations so that as the first step, some sites can be warned
and then - after going through the various phases - they can be countered
and closed down as the last phase. We may set a difference especially
among the domestic sites and the sites that are directed from abroad.
News sites should be registered in a place such as the Ministry of
Guidance. Of course, the intention behind this is not in order to issue a
permit. But by registering, if there is a complaint the issue can be
followed up.
He added: The mere approval of Internet regulations at the Supreme
Cultural Revolution Council should not mean that all the other
regulations should be questioned, since this council's regulations have
been very helpful in the development of the country's IT.
Mo'tamedi said, as regards assessing the resolutions by the Supreme
Cultural Revolution Council on the Internet and their conformity with the
views of experts: Because of the absence of laws in the Internet sector,
during the past two years there has been confusion over permits to
Internet cafes or over ISPs and ASPs (international terminals) and these
centres have always been cautious in continuing their activities.
He added: Therefore, a relevant draft regulation was prepared by the
Post, Telegraph and Telephone Ministry and was discussed at the Supreme
Council of Information Dissemination. At that time, this council's
decision was thought to have been sufficient. But because of the cultural
aspect of the issue, the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council stated that
this regulation should be discussed at this council.
He went on to say: After going through a process, this regulation went to
the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council and over six sessions, more than
90 per cent of the initial regulation was discussed and compiled.
Generally speaking, we are satisfied with this outcome since we were able
to issue the permits for Internet cafes and more than 300 ISPs and to
define ECP, POP, and IDC so that the private sectors could carry on
operating. In other words, private sectors will be more confident when
there is a law, even if incomplete.
He clarified: The conditions in these regulations are more progressive
and better in comparison to similar regulations in other places. Merely
because something has been approved in one place or another should not
mean that the entire regulation should be questioned, since this
regulation has been very helpful for the country's IT development thus
far, even though there are shortcomings. We believe that the major laws
such as laws on Internet offences, electronic trade, and electronic
signature should be approved by the Majlis.
Source: Yas-e Now web site, Tehran. in Persian 12 Jul 03 p 15 (BBCM Jul
12, 2003)
...............................................................
Misc - IRAQ - [HISTORY]
Iran TV Channel Targets Iraq
BBC Monitoring
April 3, 2003
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2913593.stm
A new 24-hour Arabic-language television channel called Al-Alam - "The
World" - is broadcasting to Iraq from neighbouring Iran.
It offers an alternative to the diet of Saddam Hussein decrees, patriotic
music and archive footage of military displays shown on Baghdad domestic
and satellite channels.
The news channel - which started regular broadcasting in March - is
opposed to the US-led invasion of Iraq and the ruling Ba'ath Party.
Its hourly news bulletin has been showing extensive footage of Iraqi
civilians lying dead in residential areas or being treated in hospitals.
The channel's roundup of the latest US-British attacks on Iraq is aired
under the slogan "War of domination" and it describes the coalition
troops as "occupiers".
In addition to news bulletins, Al-Alam has regular roundtable discussions
with researchers and experts including Iraqi dissidents and exiles
opposed to Saddam Hussein.
State-funded
The station is based in Tehran and run by IRIB - the Iranian state radio
and TV service. It broadcasts on terrestrial airwaves to Iraq, as well as
via satellite.
The transmissions are believed to be broadcast from a TV relay station on
high ground in Iran overlooking parts of Iraq.
There are reports from Baghdad that sales of aerials have soared in the
capital - and that might boost the popularity of Al-Alam. Satellite
dishes are banned in Iraq.
The station is also available on the internet and can be received in the
Middle East, Europe, Asia-Pacific and America.
Al-Jazeera lookalike
A BBC Monitoring media analyst has noted a similarity between Al-Alam's
format and that of the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite TV.
An "Exclusive Al-Alam" caption comes up when the station shows its own
reports and their logo Al-Alam in Arabic script appears on the right-hand
side of the screen.
The station broadcasts in Arabic with a news ticker in English updating
the news on the war from international news agency reports.
Al-Alam's managing director Hasan Beheshtipur has said that the purpose
of the channel is to present the viewpoints of the Islamic world and
"counter the monopolisation of news channels by western countries".
He said "the network plans to fill the existing vacuum in news
dissemination in today's world".
(BBCM Apr 3, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
Iranian News Channel Makes Inroads in Iraq
By Sabrina Tavernise, New York Times
April 28, 2003
http://www.media.tsinghua.edu.cn/new_new/reader.asp?Id=364
BAGHDAD -- As the power gradually comes back on in Baghdad, Iraqis are
tuning into television for the first time in several weeks. News is
starting to stream into teahouses, barbershops and living rooms, but it
is not coming from Iraq, or even America.
It is coming from Iran.
Al Alam television, a station that most Iraqis assume is owned by the
Iranian government, is pumping professionally produced, round-the-clock
news to televisions in Baghdad from a powerful transmitter just over the
border in Iran, about 85 miles away. The only viewing requirement is a
television; no satellite dish is needed.
"I am very famous in Iraq," said Haidar Ali al-Assadi, an Iraqi who is a
principal Baghdad correspondent. "All of Iraq is watching Al Alam.
Before, everyone knew Saddam Hussein. Now they know me."
As the Bush administration tries to win over Iraqis, nervously eyeing
Islamic fundamentalist influence from the Shiite government and other
groups in Iran, daily reports from Tehran are flashing from the
television screens of every Baghdad resident with electricity.
The station, which broadcasts in Arabic, provided the only real source of
news during the war, when the alternative was the ponderous party-line
reporting of Iraqi state television, which few Iraqis trusted. Al Alam,
which started in February, was an immediate hit.
"When I finished my work, I would go home to watch television," said
Muhanad Kerim, 38, a barber with a small shop in downtown Baghdad.
Without electricity at home, Mr. Kerim now watches at work, where today a
corner television set was tuned to the station, while two American
soldiers waited for a trim.
"Iraqi people never saw television like this," said Mr. Assadi, a
customer in the barbershop. Mr. Kerim nodded in agreement. Accustomed to
a highly controlled state media, Iraqis are intrigued by the station's
Western-style newscasts, with interviews ranging from political pundits
to average people, and clips of speeches by American politicians.
Not everybody likes the channel. Residents of a wealthy Baghdad
neighborhood, a quiet riverfront stretch of palm trees and large houses,
expressed dismay at what they called an anti-American tone and a preachy
style of reporting. Rich, secular Iraqi Muslims like the American
administration and fear the influence of fundamentalists.
"It's propaganda," said Faisal al-Khodairy, an American-educated man
whose businesses includes a bank, a pharmaceuticals producer and a
construction company. "The Iranians want to push a huge influx of Iranian
views into Iraq."
However annoying residents like Mr. Khodairy may find it, Al Alam is
virtually the only channel in Baghdad. Washington has organized a station
that beams newscasts as well as segments from the major networks to Iraqi
television sets briefly at night from a military plane. But many
interviewed here today said the channel was poorly done, had fuzzy
reception and, in short, was not worth watching.
Al Alam's dominance on the airwaves comes as frustration with the
American reconstruction effort is approaching a high boil. With power
still out for most of the day, stoplights not working, scant police
patrols and some neighborhoods still lacking running water, local
residents say restoring the city's life functions is taking too long.
This is something Mr. Assadi, a smiling man of 28, has addressed in his
reports. He is keenly aware of his power as a television reporter,
saying, "I am a media man, and I can make people either for or against
America." But he said he was reserving judgment about America's
intervention in Iraq.
Mr. Assadi, who used to work as a Farsi translator, is an Iraqi Shiite.
He defended the station's reporting as evenhanded and hard-hitting. He
denied that the station was anti-American in tone and said he actively
sought, but rarely got, American official comment.
Regarding tone, another Iraq correspondent for Al Alam, Safa Issa, said,
"We are free, just like Al Jazeera."
In fact, the channel has used reporters from Al Jazeera, as well as local
Iraqis, to cover the war in Iraq, said Hoseyn Beheshtipur, the station's
managing director, in an interview in the Iranian news media on April 16.
The channel broadcasts by satellite to other countries, and offers
English-language service.
Mr. Beheshtipur said the station sought "to inform the public of news
that countries which own their media do not want to disseminate, and to
act as a bridge between Islamic countries." He added, "We broadcast both
the effects of the war on Iraq and news provided by America itself."
Mr. Assadi said he was trying to provide good, fast reporting. As an
Iraqi who lived under Saddam Hussein, he has filled his reports with
details of the sufferings of his people. He has not yet come to a
decision about the Americans in his country.
"America is like a new friend," said Mr. Assadi, the power flickering in
the barbershop as Mr. Kerim put the finishing touches on his haircut. "I
just met him. I must give him a chance."
Still, he said, "the reconstruction is going slowly." He added: "The
people are unemployed. If it's a bad friend, I'll stand against it. I
hope this will reach your government."
(New York Times Apr 28, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
"The Shiite Shockwave"
Babak Dehghanpisheh and Christopher Dickey
Newsweek, May 5, 2003
http://www.msnbc.com/news/905874.asp
Tehran obviously doesn't want a Western-style democracy next door.
Iranian state TV has set up its own Al-Jazeera-style news station, Al
Alam, on the Iraqi border to transmit diatribes against the Coalition
"occupiers" and their "war of domination." But few in the Iranian
government see any serious chance for exporting a Khomeinist Islamic
revolution to Iraq. The Kurds, the Sunnis and many Iraqi Shiites would
reject it. Still, some form of Islamic government is certainly very
possible.
(Newsweek May 5, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
Iraq: After 30 Years, News Options Begin To Grow And Diversify
After three decades of one-party, one-man rule, which held the country's
mass media under tight control, Iraq is now forging a new path toward a
more diverse and pluralistic media. Nearly every day, new newspaper and
radio broadcast options appear. RFE/RL correspondent Zamira Eshanova
reports from Baghdad on how Iraqis get their news -- and how much faith
they put in it.
By Zamira Eshanova, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
May 6, 2003
http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iraq/2003/05/iraq-030506-r
fel-153705.htm
Baghdad, 6 May 2003 (RFE/RL) -- When the U.S.-led war in Iraq wiped out
the country's telecommunications structures, Iraqis turned to a more
traditional source of information: rumors.
Now, however, news services are beginning to come back to fill the
information vacuum. More and more Iraqis say they are tuning into
Iran-based Al-Alam ("The World") TV, Qatar's Al-Jazeera, or the
U.S.-based Radio Sawa, which is transmitted by coalition forces from the
Baghdad airport.
Baghdad has more than a half-dozen newspapers published by a range of
political, ethnic and religious groups. Capital residents can choose
between "Future," published by the Iraqi National Accord; "Conference,"
put out by the Iraqi National Congress; the Iraqi communists' "Road to
the People"; and the London-based "Al-Zaman" ("Times"). Some of the
papers are distributed for free; others sell for between 250-750 dinars
(approximately $0.07-$0.20).
The number of newspapers and other sources of news are increasing on a
daily basis. But many Iraqis say they often leave a lot to be desired, in
terms of content and quality. In particular, residents say they need
better, more objective information about the unfolding developments in
postwar Iraq. Some say they feel they are at the center of an ideological
battle between the polarized pro-American and anti-American worlds.
Valid is a 42-year-old clerk in Baghdad's Al-Hamra hotel. He said he was
able to watch some Western coverage of the war and its aftermath on
international channels like CNN. He said he was surprised and
disappointed by what he considered a biased approach toward Iraq and its
people. He believes the frequent Western reports on incidents of looting
in Iraq are being organized by Americans for propaganda purposes.
"[Americans] opened these buildings and said 'Come and take everything.'
And when [Iraqis] took everything, [the international media] showed to
the world that Iraqi people are thieves. Iraqi people are not Ali Babas
[thieves]. Why didn't [the media] go to the church to show to the world
that Iraqi people go to the church to pray when they were bombing? Why
they don't go to the mosques where [Muslims] pray to God to save them
from this?" Valid asked.
Valid said that before the war, Iraqis were considered by many in the
world to be terrorists, because of the reputation of their leader, Saddam
Hussein. Now, he added, the image of Iraqis has changed, but not
necessarily for the better. "Due to this media coverage," he said,
"[people] say we are all thieves and criminals."
Hikmet is a 35-year-old oil engineer who used to work in Baghdad for a
Russian company. Like Valid, he is critical of the media's coverage of
the war -- but his complaints are directed at Al-Alam. He believes the
Iranian channel is spreading anti-American propaganda and taking
advantage of Iraq's Shi'ite majority to advance the agenda of its own
religious regime.
"They are not showing the reality [of] what's happening in Iraq, no. When
they show you things [they want] to tell the world that Americans are bad
and not giving freedom to Iraqi people, and [that] it's better to stick
with Iran and Iran will provide Iraqi people with freedom," Hikmet said.
Al-Alam broadcasts into Baghdad from a powerful transmitter from about
150 kilometers away, just over the Iran-Iraq border. The station, which
broadcasts in Arabic and is said to be operated by the Iranian
government, is the only foreign channel that can be viewed by Iraqis
without a satellite dish. That has sent its viewership soaring among
ordinary Iraqis, who cannot afford the $200 cost of a satellite dish and
receiver.
During the Saddam Hussein era, Iraqis were forbidden to buy satellite
dishes and ownership of one was enough to earn a prison sentence. Today,
there is a boom of satellite dish sales among Baghdad residents rich
enough to acquire one. Muhammad, who can afford both a satellite dish and
a generator, said he stays tuned all day to Arabic news channels like
Al-Jazeera, Lebanese Television Channel (LTC) or the United Arab
Emirates' Abu Dhabi. Even so, he -- like the others -- said he is not
satisfied with the coverage of the situation in Iraq.
"This is my country and I can see what is going on. Some of [the Arab
channels] show some of it, but not as I can see what is going on. Things
are getting worse every day and today is much better than tomorrow,"
Muhammad said.
Still, ordinary Iraqis are riveted by the foreign broadcasts, whether or
not they like what they see. After years of Hussein-era state television
-- which offered a mind-numbing diet of military parades and views of the
president presiding over official meetings, interspersed with concerts
and melodramas -- the foreign stations mesmerize viewers with their
fast-paced news coverage and technical expertise.
That leaves the television battle for Iraqi hearts and minds, a key
priority for the U.S. civil administration, now almost entirely in the
hands of foreign news organizations, most of which are unfriendly to U.S.
policy in Iraq. U.S. civil administrator Jay Garner has not said publicly
when state television will be back on the air, but the task is
complicated by the need to hire new staff and repair transmission towers
hit by U.S. bombers.
Washington's sole foray into Iraqi television so far was during the war,
when the Pentagon used a modified cargo plane -- dubbed Commando Solo --
to circle high over the country and beam down some five hours of evening
television programming as well as radio broadcasts.
The U.S. is now pushing ahead with plans to create a nationwide
television channel, an AM radio channel, and an independent newspaper for
Iraq. All will be run by previously exiled Iraqis along with journalists
recruited from within the country. The U.S.-taxpayer-funded project is
the handiwork of the Indigenous Media Project, an offshoot of the
Pentagon's Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance, which is
run by Garner.
For the majority of ordinary Iraqis with no access to television, new
radio stations such as Iraqi News Net and Radio Sawa -- both transmitted
from the Baghdad airport by coalition forces -- are for now the only
sources of news and information.
Fans of these new radio programs say they like the Arabic and
international pop broadcasts. But they are less enthusiastic about the
news content. One listener, Salim, said the difficulty of day-to-day life
in postwar Iraq is never reflected in the coalition broadcasts, which
want to portray the country in a rosy hue.
"There is nothing true [in their news]," he said. "We hear: 'Wait,
Iraqis, you will get humanitarian aid.' Where is this aid? They say: 'Go
to schools.' But to which schools, if some of them are destroyed?"
Many Iraqis say their country's long-standing media censorship and
isolation from international news have left them hungry for objective and
unbiased news. With every new newspaper or radio station, they say they
hope to find the coverage they were deprived of for so long.
(globalsecurity.org May 6, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
"Saddam's Fall Leads Iran into Talks with Arch-Enemy,"
Dan De Luce, The Guardian,
May 13, 2003
http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,12858,954778,00.html
Iran's most effective move has been the launch of an Arabic news channel.
Al-Alam, or The World, has won a large Iraqi audience with its portrayal
of US and British troops as untrustworthy occupiers.
(The Guardian May 13, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
Iran Rules Over the Airwaves in Iraq
By A. William Samii*
Los Angeles Times
May 18, 2003
http://www.iran-press-service.com/articles_2003/May-2003/airwaves_war_195
03.htm
PRAGUE, 19 May (IPS) -- With the military part of the war completed, the
U.S. needs to turn its attention to the war of words being waged in Iraq.
As of 15 May, none of the country's official broadcast media had resumed
operations, which, in a country starved for news and information, has
left a real vacuum. The U.S. has made some attempts to fill the void, but
so far it is Iran that has made the greatest inroads.
Shortly after the fall of Baghdad, a Tehran-backed group of Iraqi Shi’ite
exiles known as the Supreme Assembly for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq
(SAIRI) began broadcasting its "Voice of the Mojahedeen" radio
programming on the frequency formerly used by Iranian state radio. Its
programs feature statements from the SAIRI's leader, Ayatollah Mohammed
Baqer al-Hakim, and from the Iranian leadership, and it espouses views
advocated by Tehran. Its commentaries have claimed that the war in Iraq
was meant to help "the Zionist entity", and that the U.S. and Britain are
occupiers who should be confronted by the Iraqi people.
Tehran is not confining itself to radio broadcasting. "Al Alam"** (The
World), an all-day Arabic language television news channel run by the
Iranian government, began transmitting programs in March that can be
picked up with a regular television antenna in Iraq.
The new programming tailored to Iraqis is part of a larger strategy of
the Tehran government, which has worked hard to broadcast its message
throughout the region.
The external service of the "Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran" could
be heard on AM and shortwave in Iraq even before the war. Tehran also
operates two radio networks with a Palestinian focus. "The Voice of the
Palestinian Islamic Revolution", which has been broadcasting for two
decades, features statements from Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad
and the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, all of which are considered terrorist
organisations by the United States. The commentaries glorify violence
against Israel by praising Palestinians who participate in suicide
bombings, and they encourage future acts of resistance. The "Voice of the
Al-Aqsa Intifada", which is about 2 years old, features anti-Israeli
statements from Iranian leaders as well as quotes from (the Iran-backed
Lebanese) Hezbollah's leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah.
The new operations in Iraq are not particularly sophisticated, but they
are designed to promote anti-Americanism while encouraging close
relations with Iran. Broadcasts refer to Operation Iraqi Freedom as the
"War for Control", and the station carries extensive video footage of
dead and wounded Iraqis.
On 1 May, Hakim appeared on an Al Alam program to accuse coalition forces
of committing atrocities against civilians. This report was followed
immediately by the news that Israeli troops in Gaza had killed eight
Palestinians and wounded many others. The implication? Iraqis and
Palestinians are facing similar conditions of oppression.
Tehran shared the U.S. desire to see Saddam Hoseyn overthrown. Now Tehran
recognises that it must act quickly to influence Iraq's future. Iran's
advantage under these circumstances is that, like Iraq but unlike most
other Muslim states, its population is predominantly Shi’ite. Iraqi
Shi’ites were severely repressed during Hoseyn's rule, and many of them
sought sanctuary in Iran. Tehran is trying to build on whatever goodwill
and gratitude exist.
Still, Baghdad residents have so far given Iranian broadcasts mixed
reviews. Some Iraqis see Al Alam as a welcome change from the state
propaganda they used to receive. More sophisticated viewers perceive it
as Iranian propaganda and resent its anti-Americanism.
Secular and non-Shi’ite Iraqis are suspicious of Iranian intentions,
furthermore, and they do not want to see an Iranian-style theocracy
recreated in their own country now that they have been freed of Hussein's
dictatorship. Finally, there is lingering antipathy from the countries'
1980-88 war and from the centuries-old Arab-Iranian divide.
But even some who are sceptical of the broadcasts rely on them, as they
fill a major void in the Iraqi media landscape. Baghdad residents have
complained to Western journalists that coalition television broadcasts
are difficult to receive, and although satellite receivers are available
in small numbers, they are rather costly for average Iraqis. Their only
realistic option right now, therefore, is Al Alam.
As stability returns to Iraq, as essential services are restored and as a
representative government begins functioning, Al Alam's importance is
likely to fade. But it is important for the U.S. to get its message out
in a way that helps Iraqis recognise that, despite Tehran's claims,
coalition forces are there to help them and to restore their country to
its rightful place in the international community.
The reach of Tehran's broadcasts to the rest of the Arab world is more
worrisome. They maintain not even a veneer of objectivity, frequently
blaming Arabs' problems on the United States. They serve as a platform
for terrorists to espouse their views and encourage violence. They draw
parallels between events in Iraq and the Palestinian situation.
Although the Iranian attempts to influence the Arabic-speaking world
aren't new, they took on a new urgency when the war started in Iraq. This
could be seen in the Friday prayer sermon broadcast on 11 April Iran's
top religious and political official, Ayatollah Ali Khameneh’i, gave the
sermons that day, and, in a departure from usual practice, he read from a
script, indicating the care that went into the sermons' wording. Even
more unusual, he delivered most of the second sermon in Arabic, rather
than in Persian, clearly aiming his message beyond the borders of his
country.
The "crimes" committed by British and American invaders surpassed those
committed by Hoseyn, Khameneh’i said, dismissing coalition claims that
they were helping the Iraqi people. The U.S. and Britain had sinister
goals: controlling Iraqi oil, gaining a foothold in the Middle East and
suppressing the intifada. The Iranian supreme leader predicted that an
emerging resistance would prevent the realisation of such American and
British dreams, and he promised that Iran would not be neutral in any
struggle between the Iraqi people and its occupiers.
"Our political help goes to every wronged people who have experienced
aggression, and this is our line from which we will not deviate",
Khameneh’i said.
These messages have been repeated in all the Friday sermons broadcast
since then. Some have gone further. On 2 May, Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati (a
close associate of Mfr. Khameneh'i) delivered a sermon warning that now
that Iraq had been conquered, the U.S. would look to occupy other lands.
Islamic countries should "stand up to America and Israel," he warned. As
for the Iraqi people, he said: "They have no option but to resort to
intifada and martyrdom".
An estimated 10% of Iraqis own television sets, so one could question the
effect of Al Alam and the need to counter it in kind. Iranian radio
broadcasts, on the other hand, can be heard in Iraq on a dozen AM
frequencies and three FM frequencies, and countering this will require a
decisive response with content attuned to local culture.
Iraqis must hear from people to whom they can relate — their Iraqi peers,
not just westernised intellectuals and elites. Western broadcasting
should focus on the positive contributions being made by coalition
forces, such as the rebuilding of Iraq's infrastructure and the
restoration of water and electrical services.
Iraqis also should know that the rule of law is returning to their
country, and it will be different than the repression they lived under
previously. They need to be reminded that they are better off now than
they were under Hoseyn. This will go far in countering Tehran's
disinformation and its call for violence. ENDS AIRWAVES WAR 19503
Editor’s note: Mr.Samii is the Editor of the weekly "Iran Bulletin" and
"Iraq Bulletin" of the Prague-based Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
** Al Alam is reported to have a large office in Baghdad, comprising 58
so-called journalists, the largest television crew after the CNN.
(Los Angeles Times May 18, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
...............................................................
Misc - IRAQ
U.S. Asks Iraq Arms Experts to Surrender
U.S. Increases Radio Appeals for Scientists in Iraq's Banned Arms
Programs to Surrender
Associated Press
June 15, 2003
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20030615_523.html
BAGHDAD, Iraq - The United States is increasing its radio appeals for
Iraqis involved in weapons of mass destruction programs to surrender for
trial, offering leniency for those who cooperate.
On Sunday, an AM radio station in Baghdad operated by U.S. Army's
Psychological Operations personnel broadcast an appeal to Iraq's former
weapons scientists to give up.
"It's time to leave your hideouts," an announcer said in Arabic. "If you
come voluntarily and give information about weapons of mass destruction
and their launch vehicles, the United States will do its best to give you
a just trial in accordance with the law."
Nearly three months of searching have turned up no Iraqi weapons of mass
destruction, and pressure is mounting on President Bush to explain the
failure.
Last week, U.S. military units assigned to track down the banned weapons
appeared to slow their search with some assigned to other duties as some
officials said they had run out of places to look. A Pentagon
intelligence team is coming in to take over the effort, relying more on
leads from interviews and documents.
Saddam Hussein's alleged caches of chemical, biological or nuclear
weapons were the main justification offered by the United States to go to
war.
The Army Psyop broadcasts is aimed at helping the effort to find more
candidates to interview. The station, which is called Information Radio
and is operated from a portable radio transmitter, has broadcast similar
appeals since April.
In the past two weeks, the station has increased its appeals broadcasting
them multiple times daily.
"If you choose to cooperate today, you'll get tolerance and mercy for
what you've done. If you refuse to cooperate today, you'll be arrested
later," the announcer repeats.
(AP Jun 15, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
"COLUMN: This Marine Knows When to Put His Guard Down,"
Jim Pinkerton (in Iraq), Newsday,
June 20, 2003
http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-vppin203338988jun20,0,636906.colum
n?coll=ny-viewpoints-headlines
The buzz has it that the Shia are being told by their alleged masterminds
in Iran to lay low for now. Iran's Al-Alam (the world) TV channel might
as well be the Al-Iraq channel; almost all its content is anti-American
propaganda. By comparison, America's own propaganda on Iraqi TV is
sporadic.
(Newsday Jun 20, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
"Americans and British Seen as Foe,"
Edmund L. Andrews,
New York Times,
June 30, 2003
http://www.iht.com/articles/101132.html
Iraqis listen to television broadcasts from the Iranian network Al Alam,
which is overwhelmingly critical of U.S. forces in Iraq.
Television sets here can receive Al Alam with the help of a large
antenna. For the growing number of Iraqis with satellite dishes, the most
influential source of news may be Al Jazeera, the Arabic news network
based in Qatar. Al Jazeera has been critical of the allied forces and has
assiduously and quickly reported attacks on American soldiers.
(iht.com Jun 30, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
"Three American soldiers killed in string of attacks in Iraqi capital,"
Jim Krane,
Associated Press,
July 6, 2003
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/07/06/inte
rnational0140EDT0416.DTL
A group calling itself Wakefulness and Holy War claimed responsibility on
Sunday for attacks on U.S. troops in Fallujah, a Sunni Muslim-dominated
town 35 miles west of Baghdad. "We are carrying out operations against
the American occupation here in Fallujah and other Iraqi cities," said
the statement, released on Iran-financed al-Alam TV in Baghdad (sic).
"Saddam and America are two faces of the same coin."
(sfgate.com Jul 6, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
Iraq: Iranian 'Hate' Broadcasts Continue into Iraq
http://www.alalamnews.com
Al Alam TV, Tehran's version of al Jazeera, remains an obstacle for
coalition troops in Iraq. Its slick presentation and high-powered
transmitters are still dominating the 'ratings war' on a playing field
that's understandably empty. While the propaganda mouthpiece for the
Iranian mullah's interests in Iraq stops short of advocating attacks
against the coalition the bias in its programming is clearly meant to
incite violence. But to what end? Al Alam TV is clearly an attempt to
shatter the confidence of the Iraqi people in the U.S., which they hope
will lead to instability and usher in another Lebanon - the same scenario
that seems to be hoped for in Damascus. And if the graphic video and
timely press releases from anti-American snipers aren't enough to send
the message to U.S. intelligence analysts, Al Alam TV provides its own
news scroll on the bottom of the screen - in English.
(N.Grace-USA, CRW Washington Jul 11, 2003)
---
Re: TELEVISION BACK ON THE AIR, DXLD 3-117:
Well, they don't only broadcast Iraq media network TV only; I noticed as
well on the same satellite and the same frequency they broadcast 1 hour
of "Towards freedom TV" one hour at 1300-1400 UT with news, views and
interviews mainly about Iraq.
As I recall it , this station was the first one to go on the air in Iraq
via the Commando Solo project, we all remember the statement done by G.W
Bush and Tony Blair on that network right after the fall of Saddam's
regime.
The ID of the station is "television nahwa el hourya min London ---
Towards freedom TV from London". They have only one announcer who's
reading the news, mainly the programs are about the current situation in
Iraq; interviews with Iraqis living abroad talking about the future of
Iraq.
Yesterday 1/7/03 I saw an interview with an Iraqi bizman living in UK
having some ideas about getting back to Basra his hometown and building
some projects over there; one of the projects is --- having a new TV
station!!!
By the end of the transmission you get the logo of the station and a
statement "the materials of this broadcast produced and edited in
London-UK and brought to you by the coalition media.``
(T.Zeidan-EGY Jul 2, 2003 in DXLD 3-118)
TOWARDS FREEDOM TV
here's the main logo of the network -
and here's the main announcer of that network -
and here's the Bizman who said he wants to get back to Basra and have a
new TV network there! -
I put everything [3 screenshots] on this page:
http://www.geocities.com/su1tz2003
(T.Zeidan-EGY Jul 3, 2003 in DXLD 3-118)
---
The media in post-war Iraq - 15 July 2003
Text of report by BBC Monitoring Media Services dated 15 July 2003
[non radio/TV related items removed by CRW]
New publications continue to appear in Iraq at a prolific rate. Over 100
daily and weekly newspapers have become available since the fall of
Saddam Husayn's regime in April 2003. Independent radio and TV stations,
however, have been slower to emerge. The Iraqi Media Network, operated by
the US Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance, continues
for the time being to dominate domestic broadcasting. International
broadcasters such as the BBC, Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East and the
US-run Radio Sawa are all available on FM in Baghdad and some other Iraqi
cities. Internet services are on offer in the capital, and the state
internet service provider, Uruklink, is back in operation after several
months offline.
The following new Iraqi press and broadcast sources have been traced
since the previous 5 June 2003 issue of "The media in post-war Iraq":
NEW RADIO BROADCASTS IN IRAQ SINCE 5 JUNE 2003
Radio Monte Carlo on FM in Baghdad Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East, a
subsidiary of Radio France Internationale, is on FM (93.5 MHz) in Baghdad
for 24 hours a day, it was announced on 13 July. Previously the station
had broadcast to Iraq only on mediumwave.
NEW TV BROADCASTS IN IRAQ SINCE 5 JUNE 2003
Al-Thaqalayn TV This channel, affiliated to an Iranian cultural institute
of the same name, is targeted at viewers in Iraq and broadcasts religious
programmes, the Tehran Times newspaper reported on 14 July. People in
Iran's Ilam Province can watch the programmes as well, the report noted.
NEW IRAQI PRESS SINCE 5 JUNE 2003 [..]
PRESS [..]
KURDISH PRESS [..]
POST-WAR BROADCAST MEDIA
RADIO
FM BAND IN BAGHDAD (MHz)
89.0 - BBC World Service in Arabic
89.9 - Iranian Payam network in Persian
90.1 - Iranian Voice of the Mujahidin in Arabic
92.3 - Continuous US pop music
93.0 - Iranian Javan (Youth) network in Persian
93.5 - Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East
95.0 - Voice of Freedom from Baghdad in Arabic (operated by the PUK)
97.4 - Continuous US pop music (as 92.3)
97.7 - Continuous US pop music (as 92.3)
98.1 - BBC World Service in English
98.3 - Iraqi Media Network, Radio Baghdad in Arabic
100.4 - US Radio Sawa in Arabic
107.4 - Continuous US pop music (as 92.3)
AM/MEDIUMWAVE (kHz)
531 - (Iranian) IRIB Radio Sarasarye network in Persian
540 - Radio Kuwait Main Programme in Arabic
558 - IRIB Radio Farhang network in Persian
576 - IRIB Arabic Service
585 - (Saudi) BSKSA General Programme in Arabic
612 - IRIB Arabic Service
630 - Radio Kuwait Koran Programme in Arabic
657 - Unidentified station in Arabic and Kurdish
666 - IRIB Radio Sarasarye network in Persian
693 - Information Radio in Arabic
711 - IRIB Ahwaz regional in Arabic
720 - Voice of the Mujahidin in Arabic
729 - Abu Dhabi radio, UAE
756 - Iraqi Media Network in Arabic
783 - BSKSA 2nd Programme in Arabic
819 - Syrian Arab Republic Radio Main Programme in Arabic
864 - Radio Nejat in Persian
900 - IRIB Radio Sarasarye network in Persian
936 - BSKSA Koran Programme in Arabic
954 - Radio Qatar in Arabic
972 - IRIB Radio Sarasarye network in Persian
1026 - Iraqi Media Network, Radio Baghdad in Arabic
1134 - Radio Kuwait Main Programme in Arabic
1161 - IRIB Arabic Service
1170 - (US-run) Radio Farda in Persian
1206 - Voice of Israel in Arabic
1224 - IRIB Arabic Service
1233 - Radio Monte Carlo Middle East in Arabic
1251 - IRIB Radio Sarasarye network in Persian
1269 - Radio Kuwait Modern Arabic Music Service
1296 - Voice of Azerbaijan in Azeri - Radio Liberty relay
1314 - (US-run) Radio Free Iraq via Abu Dhabi
1341 - Radio Kuwait 2nd Programme in Arabic
1350 - Turkish-English Christian broadcast
1395 - Voice of Armenia in Armenian
1440 - BSKSA General Programme in Arabic
1449 - IRIB World Service in Russian
1467 - BSKSA General Programme in Arabic
1476 - Emirates Radio, UAE, in Arabic
1485 - IRIB Radio Sarasarye network in Persian
1503 - IRIB Radio Sarasarye network in Persian
1521 - IRIB Radio Farhang network in Persian
1539 - (US-run) Radio Farda in Persian
1548 - (US-run) Radio Sawa in Arabic
1566 - Radio of the Land of the Two Rivers in Arabic
1575 - Radio Al-Mustaqbal
1575 - Radio Asia, UAE, in Urdu
1593 - (US-run) Radio Farda in Persian
Iraqi Media Network, Voice of New Iraq - operated by the US Office of
Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance. Has also identified as
Republic of Iraq Radio from Baghdad and Voice of Free Iraq (Sawt al-Iraq
al-Hurr). Broadcasts on 98.3 MHz FM in Baghdad.
On 27 May 2003 the station was observed on 1026 kHz announcing as Iraqi
Media Network, Radio Baghdad.
The US-run radio now has a satellite relay in addition to the mediumwave
1026 kHz relay. Satellite details are Hot Bird, 13 degrees east, 11137
MHz, horizontal polarization.
Radio Nahrain Since the end of March 2003, Radio Nahrain, also known as
Twin Rivers Radio, has been transmitting on FM on 100.4 and 94.6 MHz from
a location south of Basra. It has also been monitored on 909 kHz
mediumwave. The station is operated by British forces, but was due to be
taken over at some stage by the Coalition Provisional Authority.
Voice of Freedom, Voice of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan radio in
Arabic and Kurdish is operated by the PUK. It broadcasts daily from
1000-1900 gmt on 95.0 MHz.
Turkomaneli TV and radio was launched in Kirkuk in April 2003 and
broadcasts on behalf of the Iraqi Turkoman Front. Turkomaneli Radio
opened radio stations in Talla'far and Mosul on 6 and 8 May respectively,
the Iraqi Turkoman Front newspaper Turkomaneli reported on 11 May.
Dangi Komal-Kirkuk radio broadcasts on 1341 kHz in Kurdish, Arabic and
Turkish to Kirkuk on behalf of the Kurdistan Islamic Group.
The Worker-Communist Party of Iraq's "Radio Bopeshawa" is reportedly back
on the air. The internet site of the Worker-Communist Party of Iraq
(www.wpiraq.org) reports that Ila al-Amam (Forward) Radio [usually
rendered as Radio Bopeshawa, meaning "Forward"], voice of the
Worker-Communist Party of Iraq, broadcasts for one hour a day on
shortwave from 1100 gmt (half an hour in Arabic and half an hour in
Kurdish), to the areas of Arbil, Kirkuk and Mosul. The same programme is
repeated between 0500-0600 gmt the next day.
The following are among stations in operation before April 2003 that
continue to be heard inside Iraq:
Voice of the People of Kurdistan, operated by the PUK
Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan, operated by the Kurdistan Democratic Party
(KDP)
Radio Azadi, Voice of the Communist Party of Iraqi Kurdistan
Ashur Radio - The station reportedly began operation in April 2000 and is
operated by the Assyrian Democratic Movement, an opposition organization
in northern Iraq. It broadcasts in Assyrian and Arabic on shortwave,
reportedly from a transmitter in Azerbaijan.
Voice of the Iraqi People, Voice of the Iraqi Communist Party - The
station broadcasts from northern Iraq, possibly using Kurdish facilities.
Voice of the Mojahed, the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization's radio, may
still be located in Iraq, but this seems unlikely. This radio was
previously broadcast via shortwave, satellite and with archive audio
files on the internet. Studios were believed to be located in Baghdad.
Following the fall of Saddam Husayn the station was observed to have
ceased broadcasting for a few days in April. The station recommenced
broadcasts only via satellite with archive audio files on the internet
and its studio location is unconfirmed. The web site of the radio station
is at: www.iran.mojahedin.org and the satellite is Telstar 12 at 15
degrees west.
Al-Mustaqbal [The Future] radio is operated by the Iraqi National Accord.
TELEVISION
The Iraqi Media Network launched on 13 May. The Washington Post reported
on 11 May that the US planned a nationwide Iraqi TV network to succeed
the airborne Towards Freedom TV. The programme, initially for two hours
but projected as a 24-hour full-service network, includes 30 minutes of
news each night, including a local news segment, the report said.
The station began broadcasts amid squabbling between its US and Canadian
advisers, and complaints from its Iraqi journalists about "American
censorship", international agencies reported.
Since around 20 June both the Iraqi Media Network and another digital TV
channel, Twin Rivers TV, have broadcast to Iraq from Eutelsat W1, located
at 10 degrees east.
Karbala - a local TV channel was launched on 16 April, according to
United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi TV on 6 May. Similar small-scale local
channels are reported to be operating in Najaf and Kut, according to BBC
News Online reporter Tarik Kafala, who visited the stations in June 2003.
Freedom TV [Al-Hurriyah TV] is a PUK-sponsored television station that
began test transmissions from Baghdad on 30 April. A PUK statement said
viewers can access Freedom TV on UHF channel 38 from 1700-2200 gmt.
Mosul TV was the "first station" to resume transmission in Iraq after the
overthrow of Saddam Husayn, Dubai-based news channel Al-Arabiya TV
reported on 10 May.
Kirkuk TV channel started broadcasts on 23 April "under the supervision
of the coalition forces", according to a report by the Iraqi Kurdistan
Democratic Party (KDP) newspaper Brayati on 25 April.
Turkomaneli TV and radio was launched in Kirkuk in April 2003 and
broadcasts on behalf of the Iraqi Turkoman Front. Turkomaneli Radio
opened radio stations in Talla'far and Mosul on 6 and 8 May respectively,
the Iraqi Turkoman Front newspaper Turkomaneli reported on 11 May.
The Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization's (MKO) "Vision of Resistance TV"
(Sima-ye Moqavemat) which was relayed by the former Republic of Iraq
Television before and after normal broadcasting hours has not been
reported on the air recently. Reportedly the studios were in Ashraf,
north of Baghdad in Central Iraq. The only MKO TV programmes being traced
at present are via satellite on the station "Simaye Azaidi Iran National
TV" (Vision of Freedom National Iran TV), which is not located in Iraq
but which the sat-address.com web site gives UK-based contact details.
The web site is http://www.iranntv.com and satellites are the
trans-Atlantic Telstar 12, Telstar 5 for North America and Atlantic Bird
3 covering all of Europe and the Middle East.
KurdSat, the television station of the PUK, has expanded its broadcasts
to Kirkuk and Khanaqin
The KDP's television station Kurdistan TV now beams its programmes to
Kirkuk and Mosul.
The Iraqi newpaper Al-Qabas reported on 3 June that eight million
satellite dishes would be imported from the United States, Japan, Korea
and China.
TV BAND IN BAGHDAD (sound frequencies in MHz )
VHF
194.75 - Pro-coalition Media Network Television
222.75 - Unidentified Persian broadcast (possibly Al-Alam TV)
UHF
484.75 - Pro-coalition Media Network Television
508.75 - Iranian Television First Channel
532.75 - Iranian Television Regional Service
604.75 - Pro-coalition Media Network Television
644.75 - Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Radio (in parallel with radio
transmission on 4025 kHz)
IRANIAN BROADCAST MEDIA ACCESSIBLE IN IRAQ
TELEVISION
The Iran-based Al-Alam TV channel in Arabic and English is a 24-hour news
channel transmitted on four satellites (Arabsat, Asiasat, Telstar and Hot
Bird satellites) and can be received in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and
America. Al-Alam broadcasts into Baghdad from a powerful transmitter
about 150 km away, just over the Iran-Iraq border. It is the only foreign
channel that can be viewed by Iraqis without a satellite dish. That has
sent its viewership soaring among Iraqis, who cannot afford a satellite
dish and receiver.
The Arabic channel began broadcasting in February 2003. English content
currently is limited to horizontal news subtitles or news tickers. The
station has a web site at www.alalamnews.com.
Sahar Universal Network 1 and 2 television, Iran's external satellite TV
service on the Hot Bird 1-6 satellites, is viewable across Iraq and
includes Arabic programming. It broadcasts on the 13 degrees East Hot
Bird 1-6 satellite daily from 0500-2300 gmt. Its web site is located at
http://www.sahartv.com .
Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran television in Arabic is based in
Tehran and sponsored by the state-run Vision of the Islamic Republic of
Iran. It broadcasts daily to Iraq on the satellite parameter 11172 MHz V
(6.8 MHz) 62 degrees East Intelsat 902.
Al-Thaqalayn TV This channel, affiliated to an Iranian cultural institute
of the same name, is targeted at viewers in Iraq and broadcasts religious
programmes, the Tehran Times newspaper reported on 14 July. People in
Iran's Ilam Province can watch the programmes as well, the report noted.
Resistance Channel - this TV channel is called "Al-Estiqamah TV" in
Arabic; in April 2003 it was reported to be using the facilities of
Iranian radio and TV, including the aerial of Iran's Education Channel,
to broadcast to Iraq. The station was inaugurated in early April 2003 by
Ayatollah Baqr al-Hakim, the head of the Supreme Council for the Islamic
Revolution in Iraq [SCIRI], according to the Tehran-based Baztab web
site.
The channel was untraced when checked from 5-7 July 2003, and may no
longer be operational. A search of internet sites on 6 July revealed that
the channel has left Intelsat 902, Hot Bird and Arabsat.
RADIO
Voice of the Mujahidin First observed on 17 April and broadcasting in
Arabic, the station's content suggests that it is operated by the
Iranian-backed Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq
(SCIRI). In addition, the station is transmitting on one of several
frequencies used by Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting for its
external transmissions. Has been heard on 90.1 MHz FM, in parallel with
720 kHz. The content generally parallels that of the main SCIRI web site
located at http://www.majlesaala.com .
Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran (VIRI) external service in Arabic
can be heard on mediumwave and shortwave inside Iraq as well as via the
Internet at http://www.irib.com .
Voice of Rebellious Iraq - broadcasts in Arabic and supports the
Iranian-sponsored Shi'i group, the Supreme Council of the Islamic
Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI); believed to transmit from Iran. The station
was untraced when checked from 5-7 July 2003.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Major international radio and television stations, such as pan-Arab
satellite television stations, the BBC Arabic and World service radio, US
Radio Sawa, the Paris-based Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East and
US-sponsored Radio Sawa and Radio Free Iraq are available in Iraq.
BBC World Service is now 24 hours a day in Arabic on FM in Baghdad and
Basra. The FM frequencies are 89.0 MHz in Baghdad and 90.0 MHz in Basra
in Arabic. In Basra, the World Service can also be heard in English on FM
on 88.0 MHz.
Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East is now on FM on 93.5 MHz in Baghdad for 24
hours a day.
Radio Sawa is on FM in Baghdad (100.4 MHz), Arbil (100.5 MHz) and
Sulaymaniyah (88.0 MHz), as well as on 1548 MW.
Since mid-May 2003, Libya has been broadcasting specifically to Iraq in
Arabic. The shortwave broadcasts carrry the following announcement: "This
is the general centre for broadcasts beamed from the Great Jamahiriyah: A
message to the people of the two rivers [Iraq]." Libya broadcasts to Iraq
daily on 7245, 9605 and 11660 kHz from 1800-1900 gmt.
Syrian Arab Republic Radio is the Syrian state-owned radio's external
service. It broadcasts on shortwave on 12085 and 13610 kHz. It has also
been heard in Iraq on the MW frequency of 819 kHz between 1100 and 1145
gmt. Its satellite parameters are 11572 MHz H (7.2 MHz) on 16 degrees
East Eutelsat W2, and 3803 MHz LCHP 40.50 W NSS 806. Its broadcast times
are from 1100-1145, 1350-1450, 1830-1915 and 2215-2315 gmt.
Radio Kuwait is the state-owned Kuwaiti radio. It can be received in Iraq
on the MW frequency of 504 kHz from 1100-1145 gmt.
Voice of Israel is Israel's state-owned radio. It broadcasts daily in
Arabic on shortwave from 0300-2115 gmt on 5915 kHz and 12150 kHz.
Access to all broadcast media is limited by the availability of
electricity, radio and TV sets and the satellite equipment.
INTERNET
Uruklink, the Iraqi state internet service provider, was observed back in
operation on 12 July after several months offline. The web site at
http://www.uruklink.net includes links to live audio streams from the BBC
Arabic Service, Radio Sawa and Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East. [..]
SECURITY AND THE MEDIA
The International Federation of Journalists on 7 July warned that Baghdad
is "still a deadly war zone where no journalist's safety can be
guaranteed," after a weekend in which a sniper shot and killed a British
freelance and an Australian TV soundman died of wounds he received in a
grenade attack a week previously. Their deaths brought the official media
death toll of the war in Iraq to 19 journalists and media staff killed,
with two journalists still missing.
For a full list of media victims in the war in Iraq see the IFJ web site:
http://www.ifj.org/
Source: BBC Monitoring research 15 Jul 03 (BBCM Jul 15, 2003)
...............................................................
Misc - KOREA (NORTH)
NORTH KOREAN AGENCY BLASTS US PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE AS PRELUDE TO ATTACK
|
Text of report in English by North Korean news agency KCNA
Pyongyang, 4 July: The United States is resorting to a despicable and
mean psychological warfare aimed to destabilize the DPRK [Democratic
People's Republic of Korea] by mobilizing even riffraff to attain its
sinister goal to isolate and stifle it.
It is contemplating sending balloons to fly over the military demarcation
line to reach the North carrying transistor radios and pamphlets etc,
agitating its internal change.
The Bush administration is leaving no stone unturned to carry out its
psychological operation, saying that transistor radios are secret weapons
more destructive than any conventional weapons and they will help change
North Korea internally by sucking up all information from outside just as
cactuses do water in deserts.
Timed to coincide with this, the CIA allotted a huge amount of fund to
let the Voice of Free Asia [presumably US-funded Radio Free Asia]
broadcast its programmes round the clock.
This goes to clearly prove that the US is channelling all its efforts
into the psychological warfare to break the single-hearted unity in the
DPRK and destabilize it.
The US psychological warfare can be called a prelude to a military
attack.
The US spent a colossal amount of money for such operation before
starting wars of aggression in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The US is working hard to lay an international siege to the DPRK over its
nuclear issue in a bid to increase pressure upon it from outside and, at
the same time it seeks to destabilize the DPRK and bring it to its knees
by mounting a pre-emptive attack on it.
But this is as foolish an act as trying to sweep the sea with a broom.
Our single-hearted unity is strongest and unshakable as neither nuclear
weapon nor any crafty operation can ever break it.
It is common sense that man's ideology and faith are formed only through
life experience, not under someone's coercion or by any preaching.
The Korean people have cherished their ideology as their faith in the
course of their protracted revolutionary struggle and chosen the most
advantageous man-centred socialist system of Korean style which they
value more than their own lives.
It is a tragedy of the Bush administration that it does not know this
fact. The US mean act might have proved successful in other countries but
that will never work on the DPRK.
The US is resorting to such a psychological warfare by use of transistor
radios and pamphlets, expecting that they would prove "effective". But
that only reveals more glaringly its mental poverty and vulnerability.
Its psychological warfare only helped the army and the people of the DPRK
renew their will and faith to consolidate the single-hearted unity in
every way, the precious gain of our revolution and the eternal foundation
of our system, touched off stronger hatred against the US and hardened
their determination to annihilate enemies.
Source: KCNA news agency, Pyongyang, in English 0647 gmt 4 Jul 03
(via BBCM via DXLD 3-118)
...............................................................
Misc - KOREA (BOTH)
Elfte innerkoreanische Ministerrunde zu Ende
Die elfte innerkoreanische Ministerrunde ist mit der Bekanntgabe einer
sechs Punkte umfassenden gemeinsamen Pressemitteilung zu Ende gegangen.
[..] Beide Teilstaaten einigten sich auch darauf, Rundfunksendungen, in
denen die andere Seite diffamiert wird, einzustellen und gemeinsame
Feierlichkeiten auf privater Ebene zum nationalen Befreiungstag am 15.
August zu unterstützen.
Die nächste Ministerrunde wird vom 14. bis 17. Oktober in Pjöngjang
stattfinden.
(Radio Korea (KBS) Jul 12, 2003 via A.Niederdeppe-D for CRW)
...............................................................
Misc - KURDISTAN
Iraq/Turkey: Turkish Kurdish group resumes radio broadcasts from northern
Iraq
Text of report in English by Egyptian news agency MENA
Kirkuk, 11 July: After a long hiatus, the outlawed Kurdistan Workers'
Party (PKK), self-styled now as the Kurdistan Freedom and Democracy
Congress (Kadek), resumed its radio transmission on Friday [11 July] from
an area in northern Iraq.
MENA correspondent in northern Iraq said almost all bulletins broadcast
so far warn PKK/Kadek members inside and outside Turkey against being
fooled by the amnesty bill which is being mulled by the Turkish
parliament.
The would-be law offers PKK/Kadek members a pardon in return for their
return to Turkey and supplying information about the activities of their
organization.
The radio described the bill as tantamount to an insult to all the
organization, demanding full clemency to include first of all their
leader Abdullah Ocalan, now jailed on the Turkish prison island of
Emrali.
Without a total amnesty, the bill would yield no radical solution to the
problem in southeast Turkey, said the radio.
Source: MENA news agency, Cairo, in English 1402 gmt 11 Jul 03 (BBCM Jul
11, 2003)
...............................................................
Misc - MIDDLE EAST
Iran: Sahar TV content survey on 11 July
Text of editorial analysis by BBC Monitoring Middle East desk on 11 July
Sahar TV is the other Arabic-language satellite channel broadcasting from
Iran. Whilst its counterpart Al-Alam TV prides itself in being an
international news channel, Sahar TV has a more religious flavour in
terms of content and form.
The programmes surveyed today included a debate, "This week's debate", on
pan-Arabism attended by two members of the Pan-Arab Congress whose views
were often at opposite ends. One of them deplored the fact that the
constitution of the Pan-Arab Congress, which people joined in an
individual capacity, did not mention the liberation of Palestine. The
other argued that the pan-Arab movement was country-based and aimed only
at seizing power.
This was followed by a programme called "Family TV" in which a mother and
her son took part in a quiz on health matters and jurisprudence. A
similar programme called "Together on the air" tackled religious issues
such as the status of marriage in Muslim culture and in the Koran. "The
target", another religious competition, brought together four pairs of
female teams.
After the news, a literary programme was today devoted to a 12th century
Iranian poet. This was immediately followed by a programme called "Angels
of the Earth" which portrayed Iranian children who had learnt the Koran
by heart.
Sahar TV did, however, have one political programme on the Middle East
and how the West in general and America more recently have always been
eager to control the region and its natural resources, especially oil and
gas. After a brief historical background starting with the fall of the
Ottoman Empire, the presenter claimed that the USA and the "Zionists"
have agreed to draw a new map of the Middle East, in a "new Sykes-Picot"
agreement beginning with Iraq.
This was later followed by another political programme called "Burning
issue" which today dealt with the problems facing the US troops in
Afghanistan and Iraq. The guest, a political analyst identified as Anis
Naqqash, argued that the US troops were now bogged down in these two
countries and that these operations were becoming a heavy financial
burden for the US economy. More was said about the situation in Iraq and
the mounting resistance to US presence. The guest compared the USA to "an
iceberg which would melt and collapse if the heat of the world's
awareness was directed at it".
Another "Together on the air" programme was broadcast later with this
time a senior Muslim cleric answering questions on jurisprudence and
general religious matters put to him by the viewers.
Sahar TV's news bulletins today all led with excerpts from the Friday
sermon delivered by Ayatollah Rasfanjani who attacked the US troops for
failing to restore order in Iraq or meeting the Iraqi people's demands
for freedom and security. The Iranian government spokesman was also
quoted denying Rumsfeld's "allegations" that Iran had moved its border
posts 25 km into Iraqi territory. Several subsequent reports were about
the attacks on US troops in Iraq, accompanied by the caption "movement of
resistance and rebellion in Iraq", and the statements made by a number of
US officials on the situation, including Gen Tommy Franks who accused
Iran of meddling in Iraqi affairs.
Iraq was followed by the situation in "occupied Palestine" where the
words "Zionists", "Israelis", "Zionist entity", "Israel", "Zionist war
minister" and "Israeli defence minister" were all used interchangeably,
often in the same dispatch. This was no different with Al-Alam TV.
The news bulletins all ended with reports of two earthquakes hitting
southern Iran last night. There was no mention of any students riots in
Tehran or the attack on the Iranian embassy in Oslo, which was reported
by Al-Alam TV yesterday.
On balance, the contents of Sahar TV appear to be more religious as this
channel targets almost exclusively Muslims and it clearly does not seek
an international audience, unlike its counterpart Al-Alam TV.
Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 11 Jul 03 (BBCM Jul 11, 2003)
Iran: Sahar TV content survey 12 July 03
Text of editorial analysis by BBC Monitoring Middle East desk on 12 July
Sahar TV today behaved as expected, with a strong emphasis on religious
programmes. A recording of the all-famous Friday prayer from the Iranian
city of Qom was broadcast at 0930 gmt. The sermon was delivered in
Persian but a translation in Arabic was supplied.
This was followed by a repeat of yesterday's programme "Together on the
air" during which a senior cleric answered questions from viewers on Imam
Mehdi, whom he described as the "manifestation of divine compassion".
The recording of the Friday sermon delivered yesterday by the leader of
the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, Muhammad Baqir
al-Hakim, in the Iraqi holy city of Al-Najaf was also carried at 1130 gmt
and it lasted 47'.
A programme on Iran's vineyards informed the viewers that Iran was the
seventh largest grape producer in the world and ranked third in the
production of raisins. "Immortal heritage" was on the beauty of Iranian
landscape and sites. This was followed by the fourth part of a programme
on Lebanon and the role played by Imam Musa Sadr in improving the status
of the Shi'i community and its ability to fight for its rights and
against Israeli occupation.
The Palestinian issue also received Sahar TV's attention with a programme
called "Palestine in a week" which highlighted the latest developments,
especially the talks between the various factions and the truce signed
with the Israelis. In a telephone interview from Damascus, the
representative of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
abroad, Mahir al-Tahir, expressed reservations about the way the
Palestinian authority was monopolizing the decision-making process and he
called for a unified leadership on the basis of the continuation of the
intifadah and the resistance so long as Israel refuses to meet
Palestinian demands.
This was followed, after the news bulletin, by the final part of a
historical film on Imam Al-Hasan Bin-Ali, Prophet Muhammad's grandson,
and the circumstances surrounding his assassination. A programme called
"Lest we forget" followed by listing a number of events which took place
on 12 July, including the conquest of Andalusia in 711 AD by Tariq
Bin-Ziyad, and the 1233 defeat of the Dutch fleets which were laying
siege to the port of Alexandria. Even historical events need to have a
religious significance as far as Sahar TV is concerned.
A programme called "Some of the leader's thoughts" quoted a number of
statements made by Khamene'i, leader of the Iranian revolution, on the US
offensive against the world. This was accompanied by a commentary which
described US action in Afghanistan and Iraq as "international terrorism".
Apart from the 1100 gmt newscast, all of today's news bulletins led with
a report that the interim "governing council" in Iraq would meet
tomorrow. The latest developments in Iraq and the controversy surrounding
the allegation that Iraq sought to purchase uranium from Niger occupied a
large part of the news bulletins. These reports included the latest
attacks on US troops; the arrest of the leader of the Islamic Group in
Kurdistan by US troops; the statement made by the CIA chief; Bush's
reaction that he was confident in the CIA, and Jack Straw's defence of
the decision to include that information in the intelligence report.
The situation in Iraq was followed by reports on the latest developments
in "occupied Palestine" which included the shelling of Palestinian homes
by the "Zionist army" and the demolition of a house near Rafah by the
"army of occupation", in addition to the street protests in Gaza by Hamas
supporters to demand the release of all Palestinian prisoners and
detainees.
There is no doubt that Sahar TV is more religion-oriented but it is also
clear that its programmes are based mainly on the Shi'i brand of Islam
which might suggest that it is aimed at the Shi'i community in the world,
especially the Gulf and Lebanon.
Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 12 Jul 03 (BBCM Jul 12, 2003)
The Sounds of Sawa
An alternative to al-Jazeera.
By Melissa Seckora, National Review Online
July 18, 2002 [not 2003 !]
(I realize this is a year old but it's worth archiving in CRW!)
http://www.nationalreview.com/script/printpage.asp?ref=/seckora/seckora07
1802.asp
Mix top-ten American and Arabic pop tunes with cultural and sports
headlines from Baghdad, President Bush's weekly radio address, and
hard-hitting commentary from leading conservative political journals, and
you have the sound of Radio Sawa, the hip replacement for Voice of
America's (VOA) now-defunct Arabic service in the Middle East. Formally
known as the Middle East Radio Network (MERN), the Arabic-language pilot
operation appeals to young people in the region — about 60 percent of the
population is under the age of 30 — and provides fast-paced, substantive,
and uncensored news that acts as a counter to the sensationalistic
coverage of events by Arab media giant al-Jazeera.
And people are listening. On the air for just three months, Radio Sawa is
already the number-one radio station in eight Arab countries, reaching
ten times the number of people Voice of America Arabic reached in 50
years. MERN is in many respects repairing a damaged VOA image, and should
serve as a model for any sort of reorganization or redirection of
resources at VOA.
MERN is the baby of Norman J. Pattiz, founder and chairman of America's
largest radio network, Westwood One, Inc., and a member of the
Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) — the independent, bipartisan body
that oversees all U.S. government-sponsored international broadcasting.
Sent on a fact-finding trip by the BBG long before September 11 to
determine whether VOA had any impact in the Middle East, Pattiz
discovered that it had virtually none. A "one-size-fits-all" format of
Arabic programming was being broadcast over shortwave to all 22 countries
in the region by a barely audible signal out of the Island of Rhodes.
Only 1-2 percent of the population was listening to VOA Arabic — and, as
he noted in testimony before the House Committee on International
Relations in November 2001, this was at a time when we had the
"Israeli-Palestinian problem, rampant anti-Americanism, hate radio, and
yes, the breeding ground for radical Islamic fundamentalism."
After the attacks on America last fall, MERN moved its launch date up
from summer to March 23, and is currently broadcasting Radio Sawa on FM
transmitters in Amman, Jordan, Kuwait City, Kuwait, and in the United
Arab Emirates cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. AM radio out of Kuwait
covers Iraq and Rhodes. Within the month, Pattiz predicts that Radio Sawa
will be heard from transmitters in Cyprus and broadcast to Egypt,
Lebanon, and Syria. Many listeners - including those in Saudi Arabia who
have access to satellite dishes - can listen to the station now, and in
five or six months, transmitters in Djibouti will broadcast Radio Sawa to
even more people across that region and others in the Middle East.
Additionally, six unique streams of the operation will be tailored to fit
the nuances and dialects of particular Arabic-speaking countries,
including those in Sudan and Tangier. The first such stream — Radio Sawa
Iraq — was launched on June 6, bringing President Bush's call for the
removal of Saddam Hussein directly into Baghdad. Daily press roundups,
newscasts, and commentary come from the Western press, but Radio Sawa
Iraq's journalists also bring Iraqi listeners everyday stories about the
history of their own culture and civilization. Recent non-political
stories included "Iraqis love their ice cream" and "Iraqi folklore
troupes find a creative outlet in Arab cultural festivals."
As with any new taxpayer-funded or government-supported program, MERN,
which has an initial budget of $30 million, has received a fair amount of
criticism - much of it from within the VOA establishment. "Whenever you
create change there will be some people who yearn for the old days," says
a diplomatic Pattiz. There have been complaints that Radio Sawa plays too
much music and not enough news, is insufficiently pro-Palestinian, and
criticizes the Arab world too much. There have also been complaints that
the operation is too research based, or too slow to incorporate more
news. But Radio Sawa is a success in large part because it did its
research and found out that a large, younger Middle Eastern audience has
one foot placed in the past but also one foot firmly in the future.
That's why Sawa can broadcast both Western and Arabic music and provide a
pro-America message, without being soft on the problems in the Middle
East at the same time. "We are for the first time successfully using a
Western format to attract a Middle Eastern audience in order to deliver
the largest possible public diplomacy mission ever," says Pattiz. "We
don't dispute that young people are listening for the music, but we're
also getting our message out there."
People in the Middle East are not only listening to Radio Sawa, they're
providing feedback. And that's exactly what MERN was hoping for.
Thousands of e-mails have poured in: "Radiosawa is the greatest thing
that ever happened to me since I don't know when…" Other feedback is more
critical, says Pattiz, who recalls reading something along the lines of:
"Beware Sawa. They call martyrs suicide bombers." Parents in the region
are even concerned that the U.S. is "corrupting the youth" — one father
mentioned to a Sawa employee that his ten-year-old son had asked him
about the war on terror. Overseas newspapers are reporting on SAWA, too.
"To many, [Radio Sawa] is a propaganda arm that wants to alter Arab
peoples' opinions of the U.S. and its policies in the region," reads an
editorial from The Jordan Times. "The congressmen want to rush with their
scheme of expanding American influence in the Arab world," reads an
article in Saudi Arabia's Arab News. "They are annoyed because their
previous attempts to break the 'coarse' Arabs did not bear fruit."
But as Robert Reilly, VOA's director, told NRO: "Radio Sawa is an
extraordinary endeavor, an absolutely essential tool in the war against
international terrorism." Indeed, VOA's own newsroom, which produces
stories for VOA services in all languages, has stepped up its efforts in
Afghanistan — where, joined by Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, it
broadcasts 24 hours a day. It has also expanded airtime in many other
countries in the region, including Iran, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan. "Look
around the axis of evil," says Reilly, "and you will see that the war of
ideas is very much on our mind."
(National Review Jul 18, 2002 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
...............................................................
Misc - RUSSIA
RADIO LIBERTY LICENSE EXTENDED
Radio Liberty's license to operate in Russia, due to expire 3 July, has
been extended, Interfax and other Russian media reported on 3 July,
citing an announcement from First Deputy Press Minister Mikhail
Seslavinsky. Yelena Rykovtseva, editor in chief of Radio Liberty's Moscow
office, hailed the decision, calling it "particularly welcome" as last
month the Press Ministry had informed the U.S.-funded station that there
was another candidate ready to take over the broadcast frequency used by
Radio Liberty. "And although we received no warnings and believed that
our license would be extended, some uncertainty remained,"
Rykovtseva was quoted by Interfax as saying. CAF
(CAF in RFE/RL Media Matters 3-25 July 7, 2003)
...............................................................
Misc - SOMALIA
Somalia: Broadcasts heard again from Radio Gaalkacyo
Broadcasts from Radio Gaalkacyo have been heard again on shortwave after
a lengthy absence.
Radio Gaalkacyo is based in the town of the same name (alternative
spellings include Galkayo and Galcaio) in the self-declared autonomous
state of Puntland in northeast Somalia.
It is currently being heard in the local evenings on the shortwave
frequency of 6980 kHz (an adjacent channel to its previous frequency of
6985 kHz). News bulletins in Somali are broadcast at 7 and 8 p.m. (1600
and 1700 gmt).
Observations indicate that the station continues to support the Puntland
regional authorities led by Col Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmad and based in the
Puntland capital Garoowe.
Gaalkacyo has been the scene of fighting in recent days. On 10 July Radio
Gaalkacyo reported that Puntland leaders had called on the clans involved
in the clashes to stop fighting.
Source: BBC Monitoring research 11-12 Jul 03 (BBCM Jul 12, 2003)
...............................................................
Misc - USA
PsyOps Get New Base Of Operation
Associated Press
July 1, 2003
http://www.nbc17.com/news/2305173/detail.html
FORT BRAGG -- The military unit responsible for winning over the hearts
of the country's foes has a new center of operations -- a windowless
complex with state-of-the-art digital television and radio production
rooms, studios and printing presses.
The U.S. Army's 4th Psychological Operations Group showed off its $8.1
million Special Operations Forces Media Operations Complex on Monday,
giving people a rare look inside the Pentagon's central production center
for psyops products such as fliers, posters and television and radio
segments.
Since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, the unit has targeted civilians and
enemy troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. More than 150 million fliers, all
of them produced at Fort Bragg and many of them printed there, have been
spread over those countries, said Col. James A. Treadwell, the 4th POG's
commander.
About 16,000 hours of radio messages produced by the group were
transmitted to Afghan listeners and another 4,000 hours to Iraqis, he
said.
The psychological operations campaign in Iraq reportedly cost tens of
millions of dollars and has been called the biggest in history.
It centered on Arabic-language leaflets and radio and television scripts
designed by the 4th POG to encourage mass surrenders and erode support
for Saddam Hussein.
Psyops troops are still in Iraq, but their efforts have shifted to
winning over civilians.
Like a marketing company, psyops soldiers often perform marketing studies
before designing their products. They also conduct detailed analyses of
results. Army officials say it still may be a few months before the
official report on the Iraq effort is complete. Civilian experts say the
campaign probably had mixed results, but still probably saved thousands
of lives on both sides by calming some of the Iraqis.
The staff of the complex is also supporting nearly 900 psyops troops
spread across 13 counties, Treadwell said.
The unit had been working out of offices scattered around the base, many
of them predating the Vietnam War. The Pentagon's willingness to invest
in the new media complex is a sign of its growing confidence in the value
of psyops, Treadwell said.
"This facility marks past success and emphasizes our potential for future
contributions," Treadwell said.
The four new presses can print 1 million leaflets in a single day. The
new, fully digital presses and audio and video equipment could cut
production time by 20 percent or more.
(AP Jul 1, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
Unit Celebrates New Media Hub
By Kevin Maurer, Fayetteville (NC) Observer
July 1, 2003
http://www.fayettevillenc.com/story.php?Template=military&Story=5728562
The 4th Psychological Operations Group on Monday held a ribbon-cutting
ceremony for its $8.1 million media operations complex.
The complex will serve as a central production hub to transmit leaflets
and other propaganda to units around the world.
About 75 people attended Monday's ceremony. Lt. Gen. Philip R. Kensinger,
commander of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, and Col. James
Treadwell, 4th Psychological Operations Group commander, cut the ribbon.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, psychological operations soldiers have been at the
front of the war on terrorism. The soldiers produced leaflets warning
Iraqi air defense crews not to attack coalition aircraft, as well as
radio and television broadcasts urging Iraqis not to destroy the
country's oil wells. Central Command credited the broadcasts with saving
the oil wells.
In Afghanistan, psychological operations units produced a leaflet that
showed Osama bin Laden dressed in western clothes to convince Taliban
fighters that the al-Qaida leader had deserted them.
The 3rd Psychological Operations Battalion, which will run the new
facility, produces the 4th Psychological Operations Groups' print, radio
and television broadcast and audio-visual products. The battalion
supports 850 psychological operations soldiers in 13 countries, including
Iraq and Afghanistan.
The unit has produced about 150 million leaflets for operations in
Afghanistan and Iraq. The unit also has produced about 16,000 hours of
radio programming for operations in Afghanistan and 400 hours for Iraq.
Soldiers said the new facility is an improvement on the group's World War
II-era quarters and is designed to house the group's print, audio and
audio-visual production equipment.
"It is much bigger. The old space was about two-thirds this size," said
Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Gelin, who supervises the printing presses. Gelin
said the old buildings also lacked air conditioning. The new facility
brings the battalion under one roof.
Sgt. Rodrick Jackson, a graphic artist, said the newer equipment will
also speed up production because he can digitally transmit the finished
product directly to the printer.
The new facility has four Heidelberg presses that can produce 250,000
two-sided four-color leaflets in 24 hours.
"We will no longer have to transfer products. All of our work will be
done in a digital format, which increases our timeliness and quality,"
Treadwell said.
Maj. Michael Lilley, the 3rd Battalion's executive officer, said the
digital transfer will cut production time by about 30 percent.
The 51,746-square-foot complex also has two video studios and two audio
studios. Construction of the complex started in December 2001 and ended
April 2003.
Over the next five years, the complex will get an additional $8 million
in audio and video production equipment, an electronic archive system and
satellite dishes.
(Fayetteville (NC) Observer Jul 1, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
Army's 'Psyops' Media Center a Special Kind of Weapon
By Jay Price, Raleigh News & Observer
July 2, 2003
http://www.knoxstudio.com/shns/story.cfm?pk=PSYOPS-07-02-03&cat=AN
FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Except for the woodland-camouflage dress code and a
discreet lack of windows, the new building - with its state-of-the-art
digital television and radio production rooms, studios and printing
presses - could easily belong to a sophisticated marketing firm.
In a way it does. But the "firm" is the U.S. Army's 4th Psychological
Operations Group, and its "products" are whatever messages the Defense
Department wants to sell.
The group held an open house Monday to show off its new $8.1 million
Special Operations Forces Media Operations Complex. It was a rare look
inside the Pentagon's central production facility for "psyops" products
such as fliers, posters and television and radio segments aimed at the
hearts and minds of, well, those the military wants to persuade.
Since 9/11, those have included civilians and enemy troops in Afghanistan
and Iraq. More than 150 million fliers, all of them produced at Fort
Bragg and many of them printed there, have been spread over those
countries, said Col. James Treadwell, the 4th POG's commander. About
16,000 hours of radio messages produced by the group were transmitted to
Afghan listeners and another 4,000 hours to Iraqis, he said.
The psychological-operations campaign in Iraq reportedly cost tens of
millions of dollars and has been called the biggest in history. It
centered on Arabic-language leaflets and radio and television scripts
designed by the 4th POG to encourage mass surrenders and erode support
for Saddam Hussein.
Psyops troops are still in Iraq, but their efforts have shifted to
calming and winning over civilians.
Like a marketing company, psyops soldiers often perform marketing studies
before designing products. They also conduct detailed analyses of
results. Army officials say it still may be a few months before the
official report on the Iraq effort is complete. Civilian experts say the
campaign probably had mixed results, but still likely saved thousands of
lives on both sides by taking some of the fight out of the Iraqis.
Psyops has been busy lately, and not just in Iraq and Afghanistan: The
staff of the media complex is supporting nearly 900 psyops troops spread
across 13 countries, Treadwell said.
Until now, the psyops troops had to make do with facilities scattered
around the base in several buildings, many of them predating the Vietnam
War. The Pentagon's willingness to invest in the new media complex is a
sign of its growing confidence in the value of psyops, he said.
"This facility marks past success and emphasizes our potential for future
contributions," Treadwell said.
Lots of future contributions: The four new presses can churn out 1
million leaflets in a single day. The new, fully digital presses and
audio and video equipment could cut the amount of time it takes to
produce a given product by 20 percent or more.
(Raleigh News & Observer Jul 2, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)
Update to 'Army's 'Psyops' Media Center a Special Kind of Weapon' : Also
look at this URL (note the photo of the SOMS-B radio center):
http://newsobserver.com/news/story/2661364p-2468211c.html
(N.Grace-USA Jul 5, 2003 for CRW)
------------xxxxxxxxxx Sources xxxxxxxxxx----------------------
Thanks to the following contributors : Andreas Niederdeppe, Andy Sennit,
Edward Kusalik, Max Watts, Mohamed Kallel, Roland Hofwiler
Source Abbreviations:
A-DX : A-DX-mailing list-Austria
BBCM : BBC Monitoring-UK
BCDX : Broadcast DX-Germany
CDX : Cumbre DX-USA
ConDig : Conexion Digital-Argentina
CRW : Clandestine Radio Watch-Germany
DXLD : DX Listening Digest-USA
DXW : DX Window-Denmark
HCDX : Hard-Core-DX-mailing list-USA
JAP : Japan Premium-Japan
OBS : Observer-Bulgaria
QIP : QSL Information Pages-Germany
RMO : Radio Marti Observer-USA
TDP : Transmitter Documentation Project
BBCM items are Copyright BBCM 2003.
______________________________________________________