Blogging for the BBC on Persian TV
Wednesday, January 14th, 2009 by Rob Brown
The BBC launches a new satellite TV channel today for viewers in Iran. BBC Persian TV which will be broadcast by satellite seven days a week, will rely heavily on bloggers and citizen journalists. Iranian authorities refused permission to broadcast and produce from within the country so programmes will be made in London using the active blogging community in Iran for first hand source material.
The Farsi language channel is part of the BBC World Service and funded by the UK Foreign Office to the tune of £15m ($22m). It employs 140 staff. Editorially it is entirely independent of government.
Sina Motalebi a director at Persian TV a graduate of Tehran University and a former blogger himself believes that Iran’s highly active blogging community will provide material they have filmed or recorded that gives a real picture of day to day life in the country ”we are not asking people to send pictures of police brutality or demonstrations, we want material about ordinary life in Iran.”
In addition to Iran, BBC Persian TV will be broadcast in Afghanistan and Tajikistan. It will also be available in Britain, Dubai and of the Persian Gulf through satellite and cable.
