BBG Resolution on the Jamming of Satellite Broadcasts to Iran

BBG Condemns Cuba's Jamming of Satellite TV Broadcasts To Iran

Washington, D.C., July 15, 2003 - The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) today condemned Cuba's jamming of U.S. international broadcasts to Iran, calling the action a "deliberate and malicious" effort to block Iranian audiences from gaining access to truthful news and information.

The BBG, the federal agency which oversees all U.S. non-military international broadcasting, also urged providers such as Intelsat and Eutelsat to stop giving service to countries that have jammed satellite transmissions to Iran, where pro-democracy advocates have staged repeated demonstrations against the ruling Islamic government.

"The BBG calls upon the international community to censure the states that have caused the interference," the nine-member board said in a unanimous resolution. "The BBG strongly condemns the deliberate and malicious interference with its legitimate efforts to impart truthful, objective, and balanced news to its Iranian audience."

"Cuba's jamming of satellite transmissions is illegal and interferes with the free and open flow of international communications," said Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, the BBG's chairman. "This action is illegal, represents a major threat to satellite communication and must be stopped."

The jamming was first detected on July 6, the day the BBG's Voice of America (VOA) launched a daily, 30-minute, Persian-language television news and analysis program, News and Views, aimed at providing information to the millions of people who have access to satellite TV in Iran. The program, broadcast from 9:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m. in Iran, features original, in-depth news reporting from Iran, world news round-ups, analyses of issues and events and special interest and cultural features. Two other weekly VOA Persian-language television programs, Next Chapter and Roundtable with You, are also jammed.

The BBG said service providers have said the source of jamming is located near Havana, Cuba, which is about 90 miles from the coast of the United States.

The resolution urged the State Department and the Federal Communications Commission to "lodge an appropriate formal protest against the government of Cuba for this unwarranted and wrongful interference."

VOA's Persian-language television complements other BBG broadcasting to Iran, including Radio Farda, a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week, youth-oriented radio program that is a joint project of VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), and VOA Persian's radio service.

The BBG is an independent federal agency which supervises all U.S. government-supported non-military international broadcasting, including the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL); Radio Free Asia (RFA); Radio and TV Martí, Radio Sawa and Radio Farda. The services broadcast in 65 languages to over 100 million people around the world in 125 markets.

Nine members comprise the BBG, a presidentially appointed body. Current governors are Chairman Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, Joaquin Blaya, Blanquita W. Cullum, D. Jeffrey Hirschberg, Edward E. Kaufman, Robert M. Ledbetter, Jr., Norman J. Pattiz and Steven Simmons. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell serves as an ex officio member.

Source: http://www.bbg.gov/_bbg_news.cfm?articleID=85

Resolution on the Jamming of Satellite Broadcasts To Iran

Whereas the Broadcasting Board of Governors' direct-to-home satellite broadcasts of daily, televised news programs to the Iranian people have been jammed since the approximate time of their inauguration on Sunday July 6th, 2003;

Whereas Iranian citizens have told BBG officials that they were being prevented from receiving intelligible reception of the Voice of America's televised news programs;

Whereas this interference constitutes a direct and effective violation of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights' Article 19 that guarantees individuals the right "to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."

Whereas this interference constitutes a deliberate effort to block the public's access to satellite telecommunications, and as such represents a major threat to international satellite communications;

And whereas the best information of the service provider for transmission of televised news programming is that the source of jamming is located near Havana, Cuba;

Now therefore, be it resolved:

That the Broadcasting Board of Governors vigorously affirms the human rights of the Iranian people to seek and receive information and ideas;

That the Broadcasting Board of Governors strongly condemns the deliberate and malicious interference with its legitimate effort to impart truthful, objective, and balanced news to its Iranian audience;

That the Board of Broadcasting Governors calls upon the international community to censure the states that have caused this interference;

That the Board of Broadcasting Governors urges such service providers as Intelsat and Eutelsat to cease providing services to those states that have deliberately restricted the Iranian people's access to international broadcasting until and unless this illegal interference with the free and open flow of international communications ends.

That the Board of Broadcasting Governors urges the Department of State, the Federal Communications Commission and all appropriate elements of the U.S. government to lodge an appropriate formal protest against the government of Cuba for this unwarranted and wrongful interference.

Adopted this 15th Day of July, 2003 by the Broadcasting Board of Governors.

Source: http://www.bbg.gov/_bbg_news.cfm?articleID=86