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I had to smile:

"The Iranian authorities have been a little apprehensive about the launch, describing it as "an illegal channel", refusing us permission to work within Iran and suggesting anyone found working for it will be arrested as a spy."

'A little apprehensive' - how many rewrites did it take to come up with that delphic phrase ?

;-)

Why is taxpayers money being wasted on a service that even Iran does not want. In the modern age many Iranians can actually speak and read English. Far from the misconception of the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ, Iran is in fact quite a modern forward thinking state with believe it or not many places of learning including Universities. The funds should be better spent elswhere.

"Daily eight hours' service."

This should be adopted by all channels throughout the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ. Solve the funding problems in one stroke.

Why should Iran be the only channel to have the crap cut?

Best of luck with the venture, Richard. It is still a shame that we can't get ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World in the UK.

Richard,

Iran is obviously geopolitically important with significant influence across the Middle East. And Afghanistan is a high priority for ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service, with very large radio audiences.

When you step back and think about what the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ actually is - the BRITISH Broadcasting Corporation - and then look at the geopolitical significance of these countries, and our own historical role in them (not to mention our possible intentions)..... well it's hard not to look upon the decision to launch this channel as just the next step in a wider propaganda campaign.

I'd be interested to know what kind of say (if any) the British government or intelligence agencies had in this.

Did/Do they benefit from seeing things like this implemented?

I'm sorry if that sounds conspiratorial and overly suspicious, but it's just how it looks from the outside.

This is a significant and welcome step to enable the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ to extend its quality programing to an audience who are susceptible to being fed misinformation because of current geopolitical disputes.

The West successfully avoided large scale conflict and was eventually reconciled with the former Soviet Union. Not so much by the use of force but by the people not wanting to continue the conflict. This would have been informed by their knowledge of us.

So it can only help us in this region if the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ is able to output the sort of programming carried by World Service radio on television. I am very happy to see my taxes spent on this sort of work and would condone more of the same.

I expect the editorial control to be in the hands of the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ. We can always argue about their bias, but most of the world sees them as balanced and reasonable. No instructions from government agencies should be necessary. Though I am sure they will communicate the British Governments stated position on things like the Gaza conflict along with other Governments statements. The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ charter gives them a reasonable degree of independence from the establishment in this country. It is State owned but not State run.

Hopefully we will also see some of the programming for the region appear in English here in the UK. It is a two way street.

coastwalker,

...to enable the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ to extend its quality programing to an audience who are susceptible to being fed misinformation because of current geopolitical disputes. The West successfully avoided large scale conflict and was eventually reconciled with the former Soviet Union. Not so much by the use of force but by the people not wanting to continue the conflict. This would have been informed by their knowledge of us. So it can only help us in this region if the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ is able to output the sort of programming carried by World Service radio on television. I am very happy to see my taxes spent on this sort of work.

Happy as I would be to see a secular liberal agenda blossom around the entire world, I still have to ask, isn't all the above more resonant of politics and propaganda than anything else?

After all, if this was English-speaking output for the purpose of British servicemen and women serving abroad, I'd understand it.

If it was purely a Murdoch-style capitalist venture, exploiting a hitherto untapped market for financial reward, then I'd also understand it.

But it appears to be something else.

When Richard himself says:

Iran is obviously geopolitically important with significant influence across the Middle East ... [and we hope the service will] ... provide a window for Iranian viewers to the rest of the world in an open and unbiased way.

- it really does sound like a concerted attempt to shape opinion throughout that part of the world.

Is that the bottom line?

Let's face it, from the point of view of Western goverments, opinion-forming in this part of the world (aka soft power) is exactly what they need right now, given the problems posed by the prospect of further military involvement. Is the timing a coincidence?

(Yes I know the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ has been providing news and information on radio in Persian for six decades - that can still be held up to the same question - what was its real purpose? Is it now and has it always been effectively an extension of the British Foreign Office or intelligence services?)

As I say, I realise these things sound conspiratorial, but I'm genuinely interested to know the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's bottom line objectives, not just for this station launch but more generally the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖs involvement around the world.

"Providing an alternative source of news and information" isn't a bottom line objective. It's a method for achieving an objective. So what are the actual aims and objectives that are met by providing services like this one, Richard?

@unablogger: One of the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's public purposes is to bring the UK to the world: /info/purpose/public_purposes/world.shtml. Delivering news to Iran perfectly suits said purpose and while you express concern about a service "even Iran does not want", just because the Iranian government is concerned does not mean that the Iranian people do not want said news.

Having moved here from the US, I'm often surprised that many people in the UK hold the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ in far less esteem than much of the rest of the world. Many of my fellow Americans constantly rely on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ because they consider to be a counter-point to our media and an excellent window on the world as a whole. I hardly consider this money "a waste".

Disclaimer: I work for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ so I may be biased, but I held this view long before I started working here. Also, these views are my own, not those of the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ.

Surely the 'British' in British Broadcasting Company should mean for the British Public. The TV license is paid for by the British public for British programming, why is it that the rest of the world benefits from free ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ programming (tv and radio)? If the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ wants to branch out (even if under the guise of 'world service') would it be too much to ask a fee for using the service - along the lines of 'pay per view' etc ? If not then surely it would be fairer for the UK license payers to abandon the tax and have these service subsidised in whole by the government.

I suppose it is nice to know that it will take the Iranian authorities no time at all to confirm all the "lies" the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ has been dishing out to its UK audience over the years, but really just how does the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ justify this expenditure?

You cannot get your coverage at home right so whose (not so) bright idea was this?

Is this a part of your smart-ass plan to take over the world of media? Or is this just another blog to wind up the natives?

"Persian TV is aimed at audiences in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan - totalling around 100m Persian...."
Please amend your data as there are more than 35 million Azeri Turks living in Iran with different language( Not Persian) who prefer to use Turkish or English Media!!!

Richard:

Congrats to the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Persian TV Channel and, I am wish this channel many positive things to come for the new channel and service....

~Dennis Junior~

I use to be a great supporter of the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ, I'm not now.

I use to think the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ was free from government interference, I don't now.

I use to think the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ gave impartial opinions and reported the news fairly, I don't now.

I use to think the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ projected all that was great in our country, I don't now.

I use to think the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ was a great organization, I don't now.

I never thought the day would come when I would think the best thing that could happen to the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ would be for it to be privatised, I do now.

Why would I think that way and why would so many other people think the same. The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ has become a patronizing, smug, money greedy, extravagant, politically correct out of touch organization which most ordinary people cannot relate to, they preach, condemn and try to manipulate and anyone that does not fit into their nice little middle class chattering classes lefty boxes are regarded as some sort subhuman subculture.

If I were Iranian I would not trust the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ, that is a shame after its great and distinguished history. I'm afraid any semblance of trust was destroyed by Tony Blair and I can't see them recovering for at least the another 30 years.

I'm not sure all the commenters above me realise that this is a ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ *World Service* project. The World Service is funded by taxpayers, not Licence Fee payers, (UK Foreign Office) and was set up for 'counter propaganda' whatever that is.

Its used to be all radio until recently (as far as I know) when ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ arabic and now ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Persian were introduced.

So the experience that some of the above commenters have had with the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ may not be the experience World Service listeners have had over the years.

Several World Service radio stations in Eastern Europe (I think) were closed to fund ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Arabic, I'm not sure about ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Persian.

Persian TV? Maybe.
In Persian? Don't you mean Farsi?
What language(s) have you been using over the past 6 years for radio?
Perhaps you should also consider using sub-titles in the other languages spoken in the whole area that you intend to cover.

It matters not what any individual says about the need for, or acceptance of, broadcasting to any area in the world; the only things that matter are truth and objectivity. Whilst those two are now degraded within the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ in the UK, the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service has had a much better record in the past and it is to be hoped will continue to have in the future. Their were many people within the old Soviet (USSR) countries who relied upon the World Service for 'free' news.

Awesome idea to have a ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Persian Channel. Can't wait to see whats next in store.

Dear Sirs,

With all my respect for ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ and special gratitude for recently established ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Persian TV, I would like to ask you on behalf of many young, well-educated Tajiks like myself to increase the amount of news and analysis from Tajikistan to proportionate level of coverage and representation coming from our brotherly nations, Iran and Afghanistan.

It would greatly help in achieving good purposes of your undertaking.

Sincerely yours.

-- Botur Kosimi

Why does the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Persian Television not broadcasted 24 hours a day? Like ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Arabic Television which is reach globally and broadcasted 24 hours a day.

Dear all:
I'm really sorry to hear that Iranian supreme leader branded bbc and British government as evil. Rest of the world fully aware of what happening in Iran and they know who is real evil. These days i'm so concern about what is going on in street of Tehran, but one day i'm positive Iranian people will be free and embrace the free world. At the end just want to say that i'm great admirer of bbc and i wish you all the best.
Thank you

RE: Anousheh Ansari - Space Visitor

I have just been watching a report on Anousheh Ansari seemingly boasting about having £20m pocket money to visit the space! Considering what our fellow country men and women are currently going through and having to put up with, I hardly think it appropriate to show this programme at this moment in time. It is not as if Ms Ansari has made any positive contributions to humanity by visiting the Space and to be perfectly honest I find it totally unpalatable and rather nauseating that anyone would be so shallow as to show their face to talk about "how her wishes have come true"! I am sure anybody with that much spare cash would have better sense as to how it should be spent. How about bringing the dreams of the street children true by providing them with a warm bed if you have that sort of money lying around. Please ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ, could you try to show more compassion at this time of the year. There is nothing to get excited about this woman who only God knows how she got hold of this amount of cash! It beggars belief how vulgar some people can be.