Iran launches English-language news channel

By Ashahed M. Muhammad -Asst. Editor- | Last updated: Jul 18, 2007 - 1:41:00 PM

Latest challenger to CNN and BBC World News

The goal of PRESS TV is to break the global media stranglehold of western outlets and show the other side of the story.

(FinalCall.com) - PRESS TV is the first international Iran-based news network to broadcast in English on an around-the-clock schedule. This is the latest of several news outlets seeking to challenge the global media dominance of CNN and BBC World News. The recently-launched English channel for Al Jazeera and Venezuela-backed TELESUR have both been well received and are growing in popularity and availability.

According to PRESS TV officials, their Tehran-based headquarters is staffed by 400 media professionals from around the globe with an extensive network of bureaus and with 26 reporters employed at different locations worldwide, including Washington, New York, London, Beirut and Damascus, Abuja, Istanbul, Basra, and al-Quds.

According to their website, the goal of PRESS TV is to “break the global media stranglehold of western outlets” and “show the other side of the story” by offering broad news coverage dealing with matters affecting the Middle East as well as other controversial news items with cutting-edge documentaries containing insightful commentary on political, social and economic aspects of current affairs.

PRESS TV has already proven to be a heavy counterweight to Western-dominated media outlets as the station has, within a week of its launch, aired an exclusive interview with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez; featured coverage relating to the African Union Summit in Accra, Ghana, which included comments from Sudan President Omar al-Bashir; as well as broadcast words from Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who offered to expand his country’s ties with African countries.

There are options for watching the channel live via Windows Media, having news sent to a mobile device via text messaging, listening to an audio feed, and news delivery via email.

Visit the PRESS TV website at http://www.presstv.ir.

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