SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
US Pulls Plug on Iran Cable News
'A flagrant violation of freedom of speech'
Feb 09, 2013
As part of the United States expansive new sanctions against Iran, North American cable networks have pulled the plug on the country's state-run, English-language news network Press TV.
Calling the move a "flagrant violation of freedom of speech," Press TV announced Saturday that they had been dropped from the Galaxy 19 satellite platform which had previously broadcast the channel in the United States and Canada.
New sanctions announced by the US Treasury Department this week blacklisted Iran's state-run television network, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), as well as its director, Ezatollah Zarghami.
"So long as Iran continues to fail to address the concerns of the international community about its nuclear program, the U.S. will impose tighter sanctions [...] against the Iranian regime," David S. Cohen, Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said in a statement. "We will also target those in Iran who are responsible for human right abuses, especially those who deny the Iranian people their basic freedoms of expression, assembly and speech."
According to Al Jazeera, IRIB launched Press TV, Hispan and Arabic-language news channel Al-Alam in order to reach a wider global audience to broadcast world news and communicate pro-government views beyond Iran's borders.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Lauren McCauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
As part of the United States expansive new sanctions against Iran, North American cable networks have pulled the plug on the country's state-run, English-language news network Press TV.
Calling the move a "flagrant violation of freedom of speech," Press TV announced Saturday that they had been dropped from the Galaxy 19 satellite platform which had previously broadcast the channel in the United States and Canada.
New sanctions announced by the US Treasury Department this week blacklisted Iran's state-run television network, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), as well as its director, Ezatollah Zarghami.
"So long as Iran continues to fail to address the concerns of the international community about its nuclear program, the U.S. will impose tighter sanctions [...] against the Iranian regime," David S. Cohen, Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said in a statement. "We will also target those in Iran who are responsible for human right abuses, especially those who deny the Iranian people their basic freedoms of expression, assembly and speech."
According to Al Jazeera, IRIB launched Press TV, Hispan and Arabic-language news channel Al-Alam in order to reach a wider global audience to broadcast world news and communicate pro-government views beyond Iran's borders.
Lauren McCauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
As part of the United States expansive new sanctions against Iran, North American cable networks have pulled the plug on the country's state-run, English-language news network Press TV.
Calling the move a "flagrant violation of freedom of speech," Press TV announced Saturday that they had been dropped from the Galaxy 19 satellite platform which had previously broadcast the channel in the United States and Canada.
New sanctions announced by the US Treasury Department this week blacklisted Iran's state-run television network, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), as well as its director, Ezatollah Zarghami.
"So long as Iran continues to fail to address the concerns of the international community about its nuclear program, the U.S. will impose tighter sanctions [...] against the Iranian regime," David S. Cohen, Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said in a statement. "We will also target those in Iran who are responsible for human right abuses, especially those who deny the Iranian people their basic freedoms of expression, assembly and speech."
According to Al Jazeera, IRIB launched Press TV, Hispan and Arabic-language news channel Al-Alam in order to reach a wider global audience to broadcast world news and communicate pro-government views beyond Iran's borders.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.