Persian Service The BBC and British Interests in Iran

Other author Sreberny, Annabelle
Other author Torfeh, Massoumeh
Format Electronic
Publication InfoLondon : I. B. Tauris & Company, Limited Gordonsville : Macmillan [Distributor]
Description232 p. 08.600 x 05.800 in.
Supplemental ContentFull text available from Ebook Central - Academic Complete
Subjects
Political Science

SeriesInternational Library of Iranian Studies
Summary Annotation Rumor and speculation in Iran have been rife for generations that the BBC has had a hand in every political upheaval in the country. In this vein the BBC has become a notable element in the complex and tortured narrative of Anglo-Iranian relations. The BBC Persian Service was initially developed in 1940 to prepare and broadcast British war-time propaganda. And it has since been seen by many in Iran as an integral part of British policy-making in the region. Thirty years ago, the Shah of Iran regarded the BBC Persian Service radio as his 'enemy number one' and held it responsible for promoting the revolution of 1979. Only a couple decades earlier, the BBC Persian Service was widely accused for having been complicit in the CIA-led 1953 coup against Prime Minister Mohammad Musaddiq. And a decade earlier, the BBC Persian Service was strongly linked to the British-planned removal of Reza Shah in 1941.The BBC Persian service has frequently been perceived as an entity which was not simply a vehicle to record the changes occurring in Iran and throughout the Middle East, but rather an active agent of change. In this book, Annabelle Sreberny and Massoumeh Torfeh track the history of the BBC Persian Service, critically analyzing both the assumptions that the BBC is a standard bearer for objective reporting and representations of it as a simple tool of Western interests. Also examining the history of relations between the Foreign Office and the BBC Persian Service, they demonstrate that these have never been pre-defined or rigid. Instead, they explore how both institutions have moved from an interest in what can crudely be called state-orchestrated 'propaganda' to a more subtle advocacy of fair and balanced journalism as the best agent of British values and influence.This book is thus a significant contribution to understanding the changing nature of British diplomacy and the broader implications of the nexus between government and international broadcasting during the rise of diplomatic strategies aimed at winning the 'hearts and minds' of populations.
Access restrictionAvailable only to authorized users.
Technical detailsMode of access: World Wide Web
Genre/formElectronic books.
ISBN9781848859814
ISBN1848859813 (Trade Cloth) Active Record
Standard identifier# 9781848859814
Stock number00312832

Availability

Library Location Call Number Status Item Actions
Electronic Resources Access Content Online ✔ Available