© the eyeranian

goodness! does anything pass by you!!!

i'm glad it doesn't!! :)

keep up the great work

What, exactly, is your problem with NITV? If I go to the NITV website, I see:

"NITV (National Iranian Television), an independent 24 hour Persian TV station is widely recognized in the world's media as an important and reliable source for uncensored news, current affair, political, cultural, educational and entertainment programming productions. NITV is not affiliated with any political or government organization and considering the lack of frank and uncensored media and constant shutdown of newspapers and other publications in Iran, it is our aim to act as a bridge to relay the voice of Iranians to the world and to build awareness within our community in and outside our homeland."

"NITV believes in the following:

Equality between Men and Women
Separation of Religion from Government
Human Rights
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Media
Democracy"

How is that a problem? Or do you think they're lying?

Mark, you already pointed out "the problem" in your comment. Your source of information is what they say or as in this case what they post on their web site. What Pedram, Houman, webgard, Hoder and others base their observation on is what they see and is actually put in practice. If NITV only covers certain news, follows and reports on certain opposition figures appearances even abroad while not covering other events in their backyard, has a slant of a certain way in their outlook and never provides airtime or a window to most other groups/individuals, what they say in their web site is not that relevant. I have never talked to an Iranian who didn't believe they were openly monarchist, pro or con to the idea. Now what they say is a different story.

Yes Mark,
It is simply lying.

"Yes Mark, It is simply lying."

ALL of it?! "Equality between Men and Women,
Separation of Religion from Government,..." and everything else?

Or just certain parts? If so, which parts?

And what evidence do you have that it is lying?

To Mark: I dont get what your question is. Are you asking if Zia Atabay is committed to equality of men and women, seperation of church and state, etc? I don't think anyone here would know. What is at question is if he is unbiased and committed to providing access to all factions and groups, which is clearly not the case. Not at least to those who watch his garbage from time to time. What evidence? He was just in Toronto to follow Reza Pahlavi and record and broadcast his speech here. Ask him what other opposition figures has he followed abroad to cover? None, Zero, Nada, Zilch. Need more "evidence"? Watch his newscast and the slant he gives in preference and coverage of his sources as well as those he covers (more importantly which ones he does not). I suppose if we were in court I would give you more accurate details and exact evidence, Otherwise you seem very adament that he is what he says, do you have any "evidence" other than what is claimed on his web site??

"To Mark: I dont get what your question is. Are you asking if Zia Atabay is committed to equality of men and women, seperation of church and state, etc? I don't think anyone here would know."

Presumably, Faramin thinks he knows! He wrote that, when NITV's website says they believe in those things, they were "Simply lying."

"What is at question is if he is unbiased and committed to providing access to all factions and groups,..."

When did he claim to be "unbiased"? When did he claim to be "committed to providing access to all factions and groups?"

"What evidence? He was just in Toronto to follow Reza Pahlavi and record and broadcast his speech here. Ask him what other opposition figures has he followed abroad to cover? None, Zero, Nada, Zilch."

Toronto, Canada, from Los Angeles, California, is "abroad?" Heh, heh, heh! Well, I guess it is! :-)

"Otherwise you seem very adament that he is what he says, do you have any "evidence" other than what is claimed on his web site??"

No, and I can't prove he does NOT beat his wife, either.

I provided a "cut/paste" of what was on the NITV website, on the page "About Us." Faramin wrote that it was "simply lying." Generally, in the U.S., we consider it to be the burden of the person claiming that another person is lying, to provide evidence of the lying. To do otherwise is a little like trying to prove a person does NOT beat his wife.

As someone who has left Iran less than three months ago ,I just want you to know that the majority of people inside Iran think about this person exactly the same way as you do.I am honored to say that Iranian's are much smarter and more alert than being deceived by such people.If some one expects a major effective change from these people's side,that would be so regretting.

Hi,

"If some one expects a major effective change from these people's side,that would be so regretting."

He claims to support:

"Equality between Men and Women
Separation of Religion from Government
Human Rights
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Media
Democracy"

Do you really think he supports NONE of those things? Or do you think he supports some things, but not "democracy"...or something?

Mark, You're looking a little nutty here. I would presume (feel free to correctme) that you have not spent a lifetime watching NITV. Or following Iranian media and politics. It seems, and I could be wrong, that your research on the issue consists of a cut and paste from their own web-site!

It's not a bad idea to be skeptical of media claims. After all, Fox says 'we report, you decide' and the NYT says 'all the news thats fit to print'. Neither is true. Taking a media outlets self-description as gospel truth seems pretty foolish.

Mark,

There is an Azeri couple (from Iran Azerbayjan province)who have few hours of programing on one of the Satellite TV channels in L.A.

I don't know how much you know about the history of Iran during last century, but to make it short, a leader of a party who leads a short period of independents for Azerbayjan from the central government, has been always accused by his opponents of being a soviet agent and aiming at separating Azerbayjan from Iran decades ago.

The couple that I mentioned, have their programing mostly in Azeri and not Persian. That program have been accused (without any evidence) of promoting separation of Azerbayjan from Iran (perhaps only becuase they insist on their right to speak Azeri and keep thier cultutral values alive in a free and democratioc Iran). The couple always deny that and not only have never endoresed the idea of separation, but have always tried to prove that the leader of that previously mentioned party loved Iran and never wanted to separate Azerbayjan from Iran, only could not get along with the central government of Shah.
Mr. Atabay, who is a man without substance, has always been one of the people creating this bad image of that couple and their program.
In order to clearify the issue, he once invided the couple into his own TV. First he pretended to be polite and courtious. The couple repeatedly and very politly talked of how much they cared about Iran and that they did not wish to see Azerbayjan separated from Iran and obviously, they would not promote that idea but will fight it.
You should have seen how disrespectfully Mr. Ataby was talking to them and particularly to the woman. I could easily see how inferior he was considering that woman. The woman was increadibly patient and did not react to uncivilized manners of Mr. Ataby. Perhaps she realized that she was there to make a point and by remaining calm she was relaying the message to the audience that "they too love Iran".

After watching that program, I was so angry that I decided to find their (couples') phone number and call them and I did call them. As a Persian Iranian, I had to apologise to them for the treatment they received from this idiot. And I expressed my deep appreciation for their manners and their patience.

I don't know how familiar you are with our culture, by the way people talk, and not just the words they use, have meanings. I do not think Mr. Ataby has so much value to spend so much time discussing him, but a person who cannot tolerate any disagreement, the person who discounects the phone calls to his TV that he doesn't like, the person with the attitude that he has, has no sincerety in his claim that he is doing everything for a demicratic Iran (He might love Iran, I don't know, but he is no democrat).

He has several times mentioned that he would not let the voice of people he disapproves be aired on his TV. Perhaps, Iranians who have spent time watching him, can easily undersatand what I am talking about (having said all this, I have to admit, his behaviour recently has changed for better, but how sincere he is in making that change or whether it is just on the surface for PR is something that people can judge.
I hope I have been somehow explained myslef.

"After all, Fox says 'we report, you decide' and the NYT says 'all the news thats fit to print'. Neither is true."

They are both *%$#& close* to true.

1) Fox reports. If you don't like the way they report, you *decide* to change the channel.

2) Obviously, the NYT cannot possibly print *all* the news that's fit to print...but their Sunday edition is pretty %$#& thick.

And your argument gets off the REAL issue, anyway, which is NITV. NITV says they support:

"Equality between Men and Women
Separation of Religion from Government
Human Rights
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Media
Democracy"

WHAT EVIDENCE do you, or anyone else, have that those statements aren't true?

Question : if you are pro-monarchy does that make you a traitor and mean you love your country any less?

Yes Haleh it does, because that would mean you support a govt that killed and oppressed the iranian people while it was in power. You don't love the country of Iran, you love a country that existed 25 years ago.
And Mark we listend to NITV and what they report on. As others on here have explained they are pro-monarchy maybe in their view that's Democracy but most people would agree that it's not.

Mark: you sound pretty ridiculous in your questioning. Several people tried to explain their opinion referring to the NITV programming, but it seems you are not reading the replies you receive. The ones you comment on you actually mock or fuzz. Refer to your response to the visitor, for example.

You ask:

`When did he claim to be "unbiased"? When did he claim to be "committed to providing access to all factions and groups?"'

Here is an excerpt of what you copy-pasted:

`... it is our aim to act as a bridge to relay the voice of Iranians to the world and to build awareness within our community in and outside our homeland.'

What else can be understood from this? If they do not provide equal opportunity for different voices of Iranians, how could that be towrds their aim to act as a bridge to relay the voice of "Iranians"? Iranians, as I understand, is the most general term you can use to refer to everyone having an Iranian ID card, eh?

As to your repeated question about their advertised principles, once you watch their programs, you get your answer. It is pretty ovious that they are pro-monarchy if not down right monarchists. Taking that as an assumption, all their claims of support for human rights, democracy, freedom of speech and freedom of press are void. Maybe they believe in equality between men and women, and separation of religion and government, but that becomes secondary in the light of their pro-monarchy bias.

From the NITV website: "`... it is our aim to act as a bridge to relay the voice of Iranians to the world and to build awareness within our community in and outside our homeland.'"

Babak asks, "What else can be understood from this? If they do not provide equal opportunity for different voices of Iranians, how could that be towrds their aim to act as a bridge to relay the voice of "Iranians"?"

They provide the "voice of Iranians to the world" by their connections by phone-in and faxes from people inside Iran. That's my understanding of "relay the voice of Iranians to the world." It's the voice of Iranians INSIDE Iran, that they are trying to get out to the world.

"It is pretty ovious that they are pro-monarchy if not down right monarchists."

The only monarch I know of is Reza Pahlavi. From his website:

"My goal is simple, achievable and straightforward. I envision an Iran: wherein its prosperous economy gives every Iranian an equal chance for hope and opportunity; An Iran where its women fully participate in the political, socio-economic and cultural life of their homeland; An Iran where its press is free from intimidation, harassment, imprisonment and torture; This vision includes a progressive, civil and stable society in which the separation of Religion and State is recognized. Finally, the Iran of tomorrow ought to have a foreign policy based on principles of harmony and mutual respect."

"To get there however, Iranians seek a political system in which participation in free and fair elections are guaranteed for all freedom-loving individuals and political ideologies."

"I have called for unity among all groups dedicated to a democratic agenda and outcome to work together for a common cause - the establishment of a democratic and secular government."

What is your problem with that?

Oops. This is the address of webpage for those quotes from Reza Pahlavi:

http://www.rezapahlavi.org/index.htm

Mark: NITV does not provide a means for "voices of Iranians" to reach the world: they censor the voices they receive and only reflect the single voice of certain Iranians (whom I believe are in minority--but does not matter anyways) they select and approve of. This is no different in method from what the Islamic Republic TV does in Iran, and is exactly the source of the problem.

About Reza Pahlavi: indeed if he envisions a viable democratic alternative for the system of governance in Iran with no life-time Shah or leader or whatelse, it will be allright. My own problem with his advertised statements of course is his history as Crown Prince of Iran, by which he is still called by his followers. How am I to trust him or his family for that matter? "Where will he be sitting in the democratic Iran he envisions?" is the question I can't get over with.

By the way, what makes you so interested in Pahlavis, I can't understand.

I guess if the Taliban had a web site that said they were for democracy and equality between men and women we should believe they mean it too.

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