New generation of hard-liners move to seize control of Iran's state broadcaster
A younger generation of hard-liners in Iran are increasingly maneuvering to secure institutional instruments of power and are targeting the state broadcaster.
The recent appointments of new managers at Iran's conservative-dominated state broadcaster may indicate that the organization is about to adopt a more hard-line position. This comes as a number of powerful moderate officials at the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) have been weakened lately.
IRIB has a monopoly over domestic radio and television services, and has more than 50 channels, with the most-viewed channels being Channels 1 through 6.
Conservative Abdulali Ali-Asgari is the current chairman of the state broadcaster, and like his predecessors, is directly appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Successive elected administrations have had no control over IRIB and commonly complain about the broadcaster’s coverage of their performance. State television has adopted a belligerent stance against the moderate government of President Hassan Rouhani, which took office in 2013, and has sought repeatedly to challenge and undermine government officials in public. However, the politicization of the state broadcaster has over time distanced the public from IRIB, resulting in the loss of a large number of viewers.
