Iran's state TV woos audiences with American-style shows
Iranian versions of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and "America's Got Talent" are now on state TV, but seem to draw more criticism than ratings.
Alarmed by losing viewers to home videos or online broadcasts, Iranian state TV has found a not-so-original way to keep Iranians interested: copycatting popular Western shows. The controversial move has brought both praise and criticism.
In recent years, state TV has lost many of its viewers for different reasons. The public broadcaster, controlled fully by hard-liners, is often accused of not being objective in its coverage of political, social and economic news, with constant railings against Reformists and moderates. Entertainment shows are almost nonexistent and popular hosts often risk falling under the axe of the management.
According to a 2018 survey conducted by the Iranian Students Polling Agency, affiliated with the state-run Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research, 30% of the youth ages 18-25 do not watch state TV channels at all. Another 2018 survey by the same group reported that 46% of Iranians have no trust in state TV news reports.
In a move to attract viewers, state TV directors first launched the Iranian version of the American game show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" in August 2018. In an even bolder move, it launched in February a show called "Asre Jadid" ("New Era"), a copycat of "America's Got Talent." The talent show, hosted by Ehsan Alikhani, also has a star-studded jury and a similar decor to the American version.
