LONDON (AP) - The BBC is using two extra satellites to broadcast its
Farsi-language service after days of jamming it blamed on Iran.
The British state-run news organization said the move was meant to help it
reach its Iranian audience as the crisis over their country's disputed election
deepens. It is also a challenge to Iran's religious government, which has
accused foreign broadcasters of stirring unrest, singling out the BBC in
particular.
"This is an important time for Iran," BBC World Service Director Peter Horrocks
said in a statement. "We hope that by adding more ways to access BBC Persian
television, Farsi-speaking audiences can get the high quality news, analysis
and debate they clearly desire."
As huge protests have followed the re-election of hardline President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, Iran has moved to deprive people of independent sources of news.
BBC Farsi, Facebook, Twitter and other sites have been blocked. Text messaging
has been cut off for the past week, and cell phone service in Tehran is
frequently down. The BBC said the Hot Bird 6 satellite—which it and other
broadcasters use to broadcast to the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe—has
been subject to aggressive interference.
Even before the presidential election, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei, blasted foreign broadcasters for their coverage of the campaign,
accusing them of demoralizing voters and trying to drive down turnout. Shortly
after Ahmadinejad's victory, he accused international media of waging a
"psychological war" against the country.
The BBC has covered the protests extensively. Its Farsi service, like that of
U.S. broadcaster Voice of America, is followed by many Iranians and has often
carried news of clashes with police, attacks on demonstrators and arrests of
opposition activists.
Ahmadinejad has bristled at the coverage: His supporters were shown earlier
this week wielding signs with "BBC" crossed out in red. The U.K.'s ambassador
was summoned to hear complaints from Iranian officials. In a nationally
broadcast speech Friday, Khamenei accused Western broadcasters stirring up
chaos.
"Some of our enemies in different parts of the world intended to depict this
absolute victory, this definitive victory, as a doubtful victory," Khamenei
said. "It is your victory. They cannot manipulate it."
The BBC said it was making its Farsi-language service available on satellite
Eutelsat W2M, which it said Iranians could tune into by making a small
adjustment to their satellite dishes. The BBC also said the service would soon
be available on Egyptian satellite Nilesat and it was increasing the length of
its Farsi radio program.
U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, based in central Europe, is also
working to step up its satellite program, according to spokesman Julian Knapp.
He said interference had increased "on all fronts" but said the service used a
variety of ways to stream content into the country, including stepping up
shortwave broadcasting.
The Voice of America, based in the Washington, did not immediately return a
call seeking comment.
___
Associated Press Writer Meera Selva contributed to this report.
