Radio Farda
A Program of the Broadcasting Board of Governors

December 16, 2002 | Washington, D.C.

Q: The Washington Post columnist Jackson Diehl asserted today (December 16, 2002) that the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) "has silenced the most effective opposition radio station in Iran (Radio Azadi) at a time of unprecedented ferment. In its place, at three times the expense, the United States now will supply Iran’s revolutionary students with a diet of pop music…(Radio Farda)." Why did the BBG do this?

A: Today’s story has the facts wrong. The BBG is not decreasing news and information to Iran – it is increasing news and information. Far from abandoning our young audience, we are doing everything we can to gain a larger audience and to serve them better. Radio Farda goes on the air December 18, 2002. Here are some facts:

•Up until the beginning of this month, Radio Azadi’s shortwave broadcasts to Iran were on the air for 10 hours a day. When the new Radio Farda begins, our shortwave signal will increase to 21 hours a day.

•The news and substantive content on these broadcasts will go from 180 minutes on Radio Azadi to 315 minutes daily on Radio Farda.

•New medium wave (AM) broadcasts of Radio Farda will cover Iran around the clock – and they will reach a target audience that has significantly more AM radios than shortwave sets.

•All told, our signal will go from being heard 10 hours a day on shortwave to 45 hours a day on shortwave and AM. U.S. broadcasts are not diminishing: they’re increasing by about 3 ½ times.

•Additionally, other listeners in Iran – generally older -- will be served by VOA’s Farsi service, which will continue its popular broadcasts on shortwave four hours a day.

•VOA-TV also has two popular Farsi television programs that are broadcast to Iran: the 90-minute "A Roundtable with You" and the hour-long "Next Chapter," a youth-oriented show.

Q: The column says: "Two weeks ago, Radio Freedom (Azadi) abruptly disappeared from the air. Iranians were no longer able to hear firsthand reports of the protests or the nightly think tanks about their country’s future. Instead, after two weeks of virtual silence, the broadcasts are replaced this week with tunes from Jennifer Lopez, Whitney Houston and other soft-rockers."

A: False. During the transition period to train staff for the new broadcasts, Radio Azadi has remained on the air with various programming, including an in-depth 30-minute newscast every night. These news reports have included firsthand accounts of events in Tehran. And when Radio Farda goes on the air 24/7 on Wednesday, it will not be a station devoted solely to music. In fact, there will be more hard news on the same frequency as Radio Azadi – nearly twice as much as before. Radio Farda has a larger news-gathering staff and the flexibility to produce special programs, as current events dictate.

Q: The Washington Post quoted one person as saying, "Each day there were students who would report live to us from their mobile phones. It’s a measure of how bold they have become that they would do that … Or did."

A: In fact, callers from Iran continue to call Radio Azadi at the same telephone number. Since Radio Azadi’s staff now works for Radio Farda, callers interact with the same people. Reports from Tehran will continue to be an important source of news for Radio Farda.

Q: The column quotes BBG member Norman J. Pattiz as saying the VOA’s Arabic broadcasts represent "old-style propaganda."

A: Pattiz said that quote completely misrepresents his position. The writer did not talk with Pattiz.

Q: So why are you targeting youth in Iran?

A: Iran is a country where 70 percent of the population of roughly 66 mi

« Back to Press Releases