| Monday 23 June 2003  Iraqi Media Network
A feature in Time magazine reveals some new information about the current state of broadcasting in Baghdad. There are currently more than 20 radio stations operating in the city. Baghdad Radio, operating under the auspices of the US-backed Iraqi Media Network, is broadcasting 12 hours a day on mediumwave 1026 kHz using a 1 kW emergency transmitter that previously belonged to the Iraqi Information Ministry. 25 volunteers run the station, which broadcasts a mixture of news and Arabic easy listening music.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) reports that its Office of Transition Initiatives (USAID/OTI) completed renovation of the Iraqi Media Network (IMN) building on June 15. The site was heavily damaged and looted following the war - seriously impeding the IMN's ability to develop, edit and broadcast radio and TV content. OTI cleared rubble from the site; restored the 4 buildings to their pre-war condition; and added special air conditioning units needed to ensure the reliability of broadcast equipment. Iraqi TV/radio back on satellite
Satellite viewers in Europe who can receive DVB broadcasts from the Eutelsat W1 satellite at 10 degrees east can now see two Iraqi TV stations: According to Lyngsat, Iraq Media Network (IMN) is on tp B3 at 11106 GHz H, SR 2790 - FEC 3/4 VPID 308. Two Rivers TV is testing on tp B3 at 11110 GHz H SR 4050 - FEC 3/4 SID 1 - VPID 308. IMN Radio is also being carried free to air on the same transponder. Tuesday 1 July Radio station for women
According to information from UN the Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, the Coalition Provisional Authority is "supporting an independently run radio station for women (Sawa) with half an hour of programming a day." Wednesday 2 July Fire at Iraqi Radio and TV building was arson Text of report in English by Egyptian news agency MENA A fire broke out in the Iraqi Radio and Television building in Baghdad late Tuesday [1 July], Al-Jazeera reported. Columns of smoke have been seen billowing up from the multi-storey building, said the channel. Iraqi police managed to arrest the arsonists. Obviously (former Iraqi president) Saddam Hussein's loyalists are the perpetrators of violent acts that take place in Iraq and not the demonstrators, Paul Bremer, Chief of the US Civil Administration in Iraq, said in a press conference. Building a new Iraqi army has yet to start with the formation of the first Iraqi unit which is expected by mid July, Bremer added. Source: MENA news agency, Cairo, in English 2037 gmt 1 Jul 03
(via BBC Monitoring) Friday 11 July Iranian 'Hate' Broadcasts Continue into Iraq Nick Grace reports: Al Alam TV, Tehran's version of al Jazeera, remains an obstacle for coalition troops in Iraq. Its slick presentation and high-powered transmitters are still dominating the 'ratings war' on a playing field that's understandably empty. While the propaganda mouthpiece for the Iranian mullah's interests in Iraq stops short of advocating attacks against the coalition the bias in its programming is clearly meant to incite violence. But to what end? Al Alam TV is clearly an attempt to shatter the confidence of the Iraqi people in the U.S., which they hope will lead to instability and usher in another Lebanon - the same scenario that seems to be hoped for in Damascus. And if the graphic video and timely press releases from anti-American snipers aren't enough to send the message to U.S. intelligence analysts, Al Alam TV provides its own news scroll on the bottom of the screen - in English.
(Nick Grace, CRW Washington, Jul 11) Monday 14 July French Radio Monte Carlo gains FM frequency in Baghdad Text of report by French news agency AFP Paris, 13 July: RMC-Moyen Orient [RMC-MO - Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East], a subsidiary of Radio France Internationale, broadcasting to the Arab world, now has an FM frequency (93.5) in Baghdad, it was announced by the pan-Arab radio in a statement today, Sunday. RMC-MO has previously broadcast to Iraq only on medium wave. Since 21 April it has been broadcasting, in particular, a programme every Saturday from 1900 hours to 2000 hours [not clear whether gmt or French time - RFI usually operates on gmt], presented by Fayez Maqdisi and called "Hello Baghdad - this is Paris speaking", in which Iraqis from the diaspora and from Iraq express their views. The Arabic-language French radio, based in Paris and part of the RFI state-owned group, has an editorial team of 35 journalists and 40 correspondents around the world and says it has 15m listeners in the Arab world and in the Arab-speaking communities of the diaspora. Source: AFP news agency, Paris, in French 1007 gmt 13 Jul 03
(via BBC Monitoring) Tuesday 22 July RSF calls for more diversity in Iraqi radio & TV The international press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says that there is now genuine diversity in the written media in Iraq, and has called for the US and British forces to allow this diversity to extend to radio and TV. RSF says there seems to be no problem for the moment with assigning radio frequencies, but this needs to be watched whenever new broadcast media are set up. RSF asserts that the rudimentary legal system does not really protect Iraqi journalists. In fact, it says, the CPA order about "inimical media activity" encourages self-censorship. Incitement to violence against Coalition forces or incitement to ethnic or religious hatred is not clearly defined, and the Coalition military commander has the sole power to decide what it is. According to RSF, the appeals procedure is not credible and is very unlikely to lead to the reopening of a media outlet closed by the occupation authorities. Reporters Without Borders calls for work to begin very soon on drafting liberal and democratic media regulations and laws to fill the present void and replace the harsh legislation of Saddam Hussein's era. A press law was drawn up by about 70 Iraqi, Arab, US and European experts and discussed in early June at an conference in Athens backed by the US government. Former Iraqi Media Network (IMN) chief Robert Reilly promised at the meeting that he would push through this document, but RSF says his sudden departure from his post shortly afterwards has raised fears that implementation will be delayed. RSF says the aims of IMN must be clarified because it can no longer remain a hybrid body that is both a media group and a temporary government ministry. Should it become a public media outlet, an information or communication ministry, a regulatory agency or a government media policy think-tank? Although only an interim body, its goals and powers need to be spelled out clearly - and probably redefined - as soon as possible, says RSF. Read more on the RSF Web site: The Iraqi media three months after the war. | 
