Are the Western-dominated mass media involved in ethnic conflicts in the Middle East? : a case study of the BBC's role in ethnic tensions in Iran

Abstract

At 17:00 on January 14, 2009, the Persian television of BBC World Service began broadcasting its programs in Persian. BBC Persian Radio has been broadcasting since 1940, and the radio's website has been publishing news and reports in Persian on its output since 1999. Since the launch of BBC Persian TV in 2009, several TV stations, radios, and websites in Persian have been launched by world-renowned media brands, including Euronews (TV and website), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty TV (the radio service of this media from 2003 is active in the Persian language), Manoto TV, Iran International TV, Persian Independent news website and Asharq Al-Awsat news website. VOA radio has been broadcasting in Persian since 1979 and VOA TV in Persian since 1996. Radio France has had a Persian language service since 1991 and Deutsche Welle since 1962. Most of these media outlets, as it turns out, are a subset of the Western media. Asharq Al- Awsat, the Independent Persian, and Iran International are backed by Saudi Arabia and have offices in the UK. Manoto's sponsor (based in London) is also unknown. The Islamic Republic of Iran authorities believes that the sponsors of this network are the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. What is the purpose of these media? Have they been set up to provide unbiased and impartial information and inform the Iranian people? What are the advantages of this information for Western governments or Saudi Arabia, which generously pay enormous prices for public awareness in another country and another continent? Were these media created to contribute to the emergence of the "public sphere" as Habermas et al. (1974) argue, in Iran/ the Middle East? Or are they created for the benefit of the media/politics owners? I. R. Iran authorities claim that these media outlets have caused much unrest in Iran, including ethnic tensions. On the other hand, some Iranian and international academic researchers confirm the same claim in academic language. Therefore, this thesis tries to answer the question of whether these media cause ethnic tensions in Iran.