The
British government has unleashed a new wave of pressure on Press TV in
the latest example of infringement on freedom of speech.
The British government is apparently seeking to use Ofcom
regulations as a pretext to impose penalties on Press TV news network
and the independent London-based Press TV limited company.
It is speculated that in a politically motivated move, the British
Office of Communications better known as Ofcom is pursuing a case
against Press TV for broadcasting an interview with a Newsweek
journalist. The telecommunications regulator is drawing on Newsweek
journalist Maziar Bahari's complaint that includes claims of unfair
treatment and unwarranted infringement of privacy in the making and
broadcasting of a Press TV program.
While PressTV is preparing to publicize the case and its arguments
against Ofcom, many analysts say Ofcom's move adds another piece to the
puzzle of the British government in its bid to further limit Press TV's
activities.
It appears that Press TV's policy of breaking the western monopoly
on media and its critical examination of certain red lines for the
western media has been the main reason behind Britain's efforts to
pressure the Iranian news channel, with cases like that of Bahari
serving as a means to Britain's ends.
Press TV has given full coverage to student protests in Britain,
shed light on the dark undemocratic aspects of the British political
structure specially the hereditary rule of the royals and laid bare
London's double approach to the Middle East developments and their links
with Britain's historical presence in the region.
Such subjects along with the crimes of the Israeli regime in
Palestine and Lebanon are definitely among the strict red lines British
media policy makers will not easily pass, a fact supported by a host of
indications.
The US State Department cables published by WikiLeaks show that the
British Foreign Office told the US embassy in London back in February
2010 that it was "exploring ways to limit the operations of… Press TV".
The WikiLeaks documents revealed that the authorities reconsidered
their decision in the face of legal difficulties at the time, but were
still looking at other ways to address the issue, including using
possible new anti-Iranian sanctions to justify their measures.
This comes as having failed to find any legitimate problem with the
quality or content of the programs produced by Press TV, the Wikileaks
report clearly shows that the British government has got no other way
but to seriously disrupt press TV activities in Britain.
Last month, the National Westminster Bank, Commercial Banking office
froze Press TV Ltd's business account without any prior notice saying
the accounts would be permanently closed in February 2011.
Meanwhile in an article published on January 16, 2011, British
journalist and broadcaster Lauren Booth charted UK's efforts to help the
US halt the company that sells documentaries and series to the Iranian
channel of the same name.
Booth who is former British Premier Tony Blair's sister-in-law said
the Israeli-backed pressure began when the company started its
activities four years ago, as part of an effort to "use Ofcom as some
kind of offshoot Hasbara body."
Booth said letters of complaint written by people linked to the
Israeli Embassy in London and its supporters were sent to the
broadcasting regulator whenever Press TV aired news items which shed
light on the thuggery, blackmail and racism inherent in Israeli
government policy.
She added as the complaint letter campaign has not been much
successful, hacking of emails, Facebook accounts and mobile phones were
used to cause tensions between colleagues.
The staff at Press TV Ltd have been intimidated and threatened by
the members of the MKO terrorist grouping in London yet the British
government has turned a blind eye to such incidents and may have even
facilitated them as the MKO are continuing their threats.
PressTV website will soon publish detailed information about the recent case by Ofcom.
