Press TV

Press TV

Headquarters	Tehran, Iran
Programming
Language(s)	English
Ownership
Owner	Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting
Key people	Shahab Mossavat, Yvonne Ridley

Press TV is an English language international television news channel which is funded by the Iranian government, based in Tehran and broadcast in English on a round-the-clock schedule. It has 26 international correspondents and more than 500 staff around the world.

History

The channel's website launched in late January 2007. Test satellite transmissions were conducted in late April 2007. The launch date for the channel was July 3, 2007. On March 18, 2009, Press TV launched a new website with a modified graphical user interface. The new website was available on an alternative address (www.presstv.ir/new) until March 31, 2009 when the old website was put out of service. On April 5, 2009, Press TV made it possible to view its website in two different versions - the old version (Classic Version) and the ordinary version.

Vision

Press TV has stated its intention to cover world news differently from the Anglophone channels BBC World News, and CNN International. Press TV claims that it is not beholden to any commercial or governmental entity, nor internally constrained to deviate from its editorial independence however it also claims the Holocaust is "scientifically impossible" and that Iran is democratic.It- although being different from other news channels- is also very biased and holds views primarily held by the Iranian Government.

For example: They name Israel's capital as Tel Aviv, when it's actually Jerusalem. This term is used by the Government. Almost all of their female journalists wear headscarves, be it any country and the journalsits be of any religion. All the journalists defend the government or try to change the subject when asked about matters concerning iran.

Press TV seeks to compete, inter alia, with the past-launched Al Jazeera English and France 24 in 2006 and Russia Today in December 2005.

Press TV has three mission statements; to break the global media stranglehold of western outlets; to bridge cultural divisions pragmatically; and to highlight the versatility and vitality of political and cultural differences making up the human condition.

The policy makers of Press TV assert that since the 9/11 attacks, the global mass media has been divided into two major camps: the Western media, and a pan-Arabist grouping; both of which, in the channel's view, are limited if not partial in their coverage. The stated mission of Press TV is to offer alternative and independent views, especially on Middle Eastern affairs, to the kinds of coverage exemplified by BBC World, CNN International and Al Jazeera English.

Press TV, offers round-the-clock news bulletins every half-hour, a series of chiefly live commentary programmes and roundtable panel discussions, as well as documentary films.

Funding and independence

Press TV is funded by the Iranian government. According to Shahab Mossavat, the former Press TV director of communications - and currently a leading host - Press TV will keep its editorial independence from the government. In an interview with National Public Radio, he stated that Press TV will be state-funded rather than state controlled.

The annual budget of Press TV is 250 billion Rials (more than 27 million US dollars).

Journalists

Mohammad Sarafraz, head of the new channel, said most of Press TV's foreign-based correspondents were non-Iranians, and included many Britons as well as Americans. The channel has over 50 correspondents in London, New York, Washington, Beirut, Damascus, Beijing, Moscow and several other European capitals, as well as four correspondents covering the Israel-Palestine conflict from Gaza, Ramallah and Al-Quds (Jerusalem). Mr Sarafraz said training had been provided by BBC-affiliated educators.

2002 Sony Radio Academy Award winner, Afshin Rattansi, who launched the Dubai Business Channel and worked in senior positions at the BBC, Al Jazeera Arabic, Bloomberg and CNN International, anchored world news from Press TV's headquarters in Tehran before moving back to London to present live programs. He has interviewed such luminaries as Gore Vidal and Noam Chomsky for Press TV.

One of Press TV's presenters is Yvonne Ridley, the former Al Jazeera and Sunday Express journalist who converted to Islam after being captured by the Taliban in 2001. Another is George Galloway, a British member of parliament and the head of RESPECT party.

Andrew Gilligan is another high profile journalist working for Press TV in London. He is known for his investigative work; particularly the 2003 report about a British government briefing paper on Iraq and weapons of mass destruction (the September Dossier) while working for BBC Radio 4's The Today Programme as its defense and diplomatic correspondent. He now produces and presents "Forum" on Press TV.

Also presenting - a show entitled "Islam & Life" - out of the London bureau, is Tariq Ramadan, the renowned Swiss Muslim academic and thinker, ranked at number 8 in a list of the world’s top 100 public intellectuals by the magazines Prospect and Foreign Policy .

Other well known presenters on Press TV include Nick Ferrari, who also presents for ITV and LBC radio, Amina Taylor, who presents "Between the Headlines", and Derek Conway MP, who presents "Epilogue". Regular contributors include James Whale, the radio presenter who is known for the late night radio show he presented on TalkSport from 1995 until 2008, when he was infamously sacked for calling on his listeners to vote for Boris Johnson in the London mayoral election, and Lauren Booth sister-in-law of Tony Blair.

News Bulletin Anchors

With the latest regional & international stories being updated every half hour, straight from the heart of the Middle East and the Persian Gulf, are: Kaveh Taghvae, Arash Zahedi, Said Pourreza, Hassan Tavakoli, Nargess Moballeghi, Bardia Honardar, Sheena Shirani, Waqar Rizvi, Kaneez Fatima . Also anchoring Sports Int'l news in Tehran are: Junot Castelyn, Nick Jones and Luke Manzarpour.

Criticism

The Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post, reprinted by the official website of the Christian Broadcasting Network, has criticized Press TV for publishing, on its official website, an article by the British science historian Nicholas Kollerstrom, who has been described by some as a Holocaust denier. The British newspaper The Guardian also noted in passing that "Press TV's website once included an article asserting that the Holocaust was 'scientifically impossible'".

The conservative Canadian weekly Maclean's has alleged that Press TV sometimes publishes so-called "intentional errors", citing a story on the Press TV website which claims that the Lebanese government is trying to convert the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp into an American military base, based on unnamed sources. Maclean's, however, goes on to say that "most of Press TV's news reports are factually accurate."

Current Programmes

• The Agenda - A political commentary show hosted by Yvonne Ridley formerly broadcast on the Islam Channel.

• American Dream - A news commentary programme formerly hosted in the United States by Mark Levine.. The show is currently hosted by Elliot Francis.

• CinePolitics - A weekly 25-minute show, hosted by the Emmy-nominated film-maker Russell Michaels. The show examines current cinematic releases, and explores the underlying political and social issues that shape them.

• Comment - A live show from London hosted by George Galloway. A platform to ask the presenter questions or argue with him live on controversial issues.

• Fine Print - A thrice-weekly analysis of on-line mainstream media hosted by Amir Arfa.

• Forum - A debate programme presented by the former BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan, featuring Nick Ferrari and others.

• Iran - A 25-minute weekly show covering topical issues on Iran plus reports and interviews on major cultural events held in the country over the week. The show is hosted by Setareh Ghane.

• Iran Today - a show aired 5 times a week examining various political, economic and social Iranian issues in the presence of a panel of guests. The show is hosted by Faranak Amidi and William Yong.

• Islam & Life - A weekly show presented by Tariq Ramadan in London, dealing with the challenges and opportunities facing Muslims, especially in the west.

• Middle East Press - A daily review of regional newspapers, highlighting various views on hottest issues impacting the region, hosted by Nadine Mazloum and Serena Shim in Beirut.

• Outside The Box - A weekly 25-minute show, accentuating voices usually unheard of in the West. The show is hosted by Tina Richards.

• The Real Deal - A wide-ranging weekly show by George Galloway, the British member of parliament, and head of the Respect party.

• Remember the Children of Palestine - A weekly 1-hour show hosted by Lauren Booth and Amina Taylor covering the issues that concern children living in Palestine, including music, films, photos, poems and artwork made in aid of their remembrance.

• Reporters' File - A weekly reportage-oriented programme, dealing with various Iranian and world stories, from a local correspondent's perspective. The show is hosted by Susan Modaress.

Former Programmes

• Between the Headlines - A review of the day's headlines hosted by Mark Watts, Lauren Booth, Afshin Rattansi, Amina Taylor and Jan Fossgard, aired live from London.

• Canon - A 25-minute weekly show debating the legal perspective on the social and political issues around the world.

• Energy World - A 25-minute weekly show, dealing with current energy issues together with their political undercurrents, presented by former Russia Today host Amanda Burt.

• Epilogue - A 25-minute weekly programme on literature, featuring interviews with writers and critics, hosted by Derek Conway, Bob Stewart, Hugo de Burgh and James Whale.

• Euro Focus - Presented by Roshan Muhammed Salih and Fareena Alam, offers a weekly round-up of news and features from all over Europe.

• Four Corners - 25 minutes of live daily news commentary panel discussion, hosted by Shahab Mossavat, Joobin Zarvan and Nargess Moballeghi, broadcast from Tehran. The show covers critical news stories from across the globe.

• Hart of the Matter - A show where the veteran broadcast journalist Alan Hart goes searching for the truth of matters by engaging a host of intellectuals, investigative journalists and activists, among others, in conversation.

• Middle East Today - 25 minutes of daily panel discussion on the region's most news-making events, broadcast live from Tehran, formerly hosted by Chris Gelken and Joobin Zarvan and now presented by Marziyeh Hashemi. The show is also aired on weekends, from Beirut by Mariam Saleh and Marlin Dick and Zeinab Safar.

• Minbar - A weekly Q&A about Islam presented by Ahmad Haneef.

• Off The Cuff - Another audience-driven programme hosted by James Whale and Mike Mendoza. The show focuses on controversial issues where the presenter asks the questions around the theme and the audience express their views.

• Women's Voice - A programme made by women for women. The show scrutinizes the status of women in the West and deals with their common issues, challenges and upheavals.

• World Week Watch - Half-hour round-up of world events by Oscar Reyes and Kristiane Backer.

External links

• Press TV
• Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB)
• Press TV tackles the media monsters by launching on Sky FullScreen
• PressTV streamed on MuslimCo
• How to watch Press TV for free via Satellite in North America
• Press TV profile on USC Center on Public Diplomacy wikipedia
• The Iranian Press - Iranian RSS News Feed