BBC Bucks Iran, Enlists New Satellites to Broadcast News to Iranian People

BRITAIN — The BBC is using two extra satellites to broadcast its Farsi-language service after days of jamming it blamed on Iran.

The British state-run news organization said the move was meant to help it reach its Iranian audience as the crisis over their country's disputed election deepens. It is also a challenge to Iran's religious government, which has accused foreign broadcasters of stirring unrest, singling out the BBC in particular.

"This is an important time for Iran," BBC World Service Director Peter Horrocks said in a statement. "We hope that by adding more ways to access BBC Persian television, Farsi-speaking audiences can get the high quality news, analysis and debate they clearly desire."

As huge protests have followed the re-election of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran has moved to deprive people of independent sources of news.

BBC Farsi, Facebook, Twitter and other sites have been blocked. Text messaging has been cut off for the past week, and cell phone service in Tehran is frequently down. The BBC said the Hot Bird 6 satellite — which it and other broadcasters use to broadcast to the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe — has been subject to aggressive interference.

Even before the presidential election, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, blasted foreign broadcasters for their coverage of the campaign, accusing them of demoralizing voters and trying to drive down turnout. Shortly after Ahmadinejad's victory, he accused international media of waging a "psychological war" against the country.

The BBC has covered the protests extensively. Its Farsi service, like that of U.S. broadcaster Voice of America, is followed by many Iranians and has often carried news of clashes with police, attacks on demonstrators and arrests of opposition activists.

Ahmadinejad has bristled at the coverage: His supporters were shown earlier this week wielding signs with "BBC" crossed out in red. The U.K.'s ambassador was summoned to hear complaints from Iranian officials. In a nationally broadcast speech Friday, Khamenei accused Western broadcasters stirring up chaos.

"Some of our enemies in different parts of the world intended to depict this absolute victory, this definitive victory, as a doubtful victory," Khamenei said. "It is your victory. They cannot manipulate it."

The BBC said it was making its Farsi-language service available on satellite Eutelsat W2M, which it said Iranians could tune into by making a small adjustment to their satellite dishes. The BBC also said the service would soon be available on Egyptian satellite Nilesat and it was increasing the length of its Farsi radio program.

U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, based in central Europe, is also working to step up its satellite program, according to spokesman Julian Knapp. He said interference had increased "on all fronts" but said the service used a variety of ways to stream content into the country, including stepping up shortwave broadcasting.

The Voice of America, based in the Washington, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Lateralization

Lateralization
The realignment of both the cerebral hemispheres is also urgently required with the next automobile tune-up. Many exhausted and stressed out individuals throughout the world have suffered tremendously over the last few years, intensifying with the economic collapse. This raises serious question about the functionalities of senior executives, their basic business logic, financial literacy and the right-left-brain balance. Why did the business systems and financial services fail so badly? Despite all the high level education, was their vision got blurred, or capital risk management was insufficient so the real world imploded. Was it the lack of lateralization which fogged the reality? Is it time to re-discover new types and styles of educational agendas, new methods and new formats of operation? A new wave of educational programs will sweep the executive corridors. Are you newly trained and outfitted as a gladiator or you are just an old time spectator?

Palin, Tea Party Express hit chord in Hub

Waving stars and stripes and Gadsden flags warning “Don’t Tread on Me,’’ a crowd of some 6,000 gathered on Boston Common amid patriotic tunes, heated antitax rhetoric, and much-anticipated exhortations from the tea party movement’s adopted standard bearer, Sarah Palin.

The Tea Party Express — which landed in Boston on the eve of the federal tax deadline, a stone’s throw from the site of the original Tea Party on Boston Harbor — was a noisy and festive assault against Washington’s political establishment that reveled in Republican US Senator Scott Brown’s surprise victory on liberal turf.

“Bostonians have never been afraid to stand up and speak out for principles that they believe in,’’ Palin said. “And look what Massachusetts did in January and shook up the US Senate. Boston, if anyone knows how to throw a Tea Party, it is you.’’

The event drew three busloads of performers from the national Tea Party Express as well as activists from around the region and as far away as Texas. Many toted signs reading, “I am not a racist. I just disagree politically,’’ and, evoking the former Alaska governor’s quote about her state’s proximity to Russia, “We can see November from our House.’’

As one speaker onstage railed on illegal immigration and urged the president to shut down the southern borders, Nina Clay of Salem applauded and shouted, “Yes!’’

“We’ve had enough,’’ she said. “I’m just tired. They’re violating our rights. They’re just flushing the Constitution right down the toilet.’’

Asked to cite a Constitutional violation, the Democrat-turned-Republican cited “Obamacare,’’ and said that although she believes everyone is entitled to have health care, “not at others’ expense.’’

“Why don’t we do away with the government’’ Clay asked, “and just adopt a bum?’’

The polarizing but popular Palin drew wild applause from the crowd with her 22-minute speech, in which she said the government has been on a “spending spree’’ and warned of future tax increases.

“We believe in expanding freedom and opportunity for all, not the intrusive reach of government into our lives and businesses,’’ she said.

The rally included tributes to the military and digs at prominent Democrats, including President Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate majority leader Harry Reid, and US Representative Barney Frank.

The traveling Tea Party Express road show started in Searchlight, Nev., Reid’s hometown, and officially ends in Washington, D.C., today, to commemorate Tax Day.

For some activists, it held particular resonance in Boston, home of the 1773 Tea Party protesting British taxes and hub of a famously liberal state.

“Massachusetts is a blue-collar working-stiff state, and we’re reclaiming it for America,’’ Mark Williams, Tea Party Express chairman, told the crowd.