How independent was the BBC Persian Service in the period 1941-79 ?

Editor's note: This is the text of speech of Massoumeh Torfeh at the International Broadcasting, Public Diplomacy and Cultural Exchange - A conference to evaluate 75 years of BBC overseas broadcasting, which took place in SOAS, London, 18-19 December 2007. Dr Torfeh is a freelance journalist and a research associate at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.


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“Since 1932, the BBC has carried the British values of impartiality, integrity, quality and creativity across the world. The BBC’s Global News Division, through the World Service’s 43 language services, funded by an ongoing investment by the Foreign Office; BBC World television, funded by commercial revenue; and the international-facing online sites, together reach over 180 million people every week with a dynamic tri-media offer.” (From BBC’s web site.)


The BBC Persian Service 1941-79


Abstract


The Persian Service radio, originally launched during the final

years of the Second World War, has played a major role in

relations between the UK and the Persian-speaking world at

crucial political conjunctures.


During the last 66 years of broadcasting to Iran – as funded by

the Foreign and Commonwealth Office – the Persian broadcasts

were particularly relevant against


A: Nazi influence in Iran,

B: in the downfall of the powerful Shah of Iran in 1941,

C: during the oil crisis of the late 40’s and early 50’s and D: the Islamic

Revolution of 1979.


The BBC Persian Service radio has since then remained one of

the most important sources of news and information for

Iranians, especially at times of crisis or international tension.

BUT, this trust in BBC’s news and information remains in the

shadow of skepticism about the role of the British Government -

- as the provider of BBC Persian Service’s funds -- in the actual

broadcasts. BBC’s history web page describes the editorial

independence of the BBC Empire Services as follows:


“In the run up to World War II, the Foreign Office began

funding BBC language services to counter the growing

international propaganda of the Axis powers. From its

start, the Service’s editorial independence from the British

government was safeguarded, as it was seen as the

cornerstone of the service’s credibility and therefore of

its impact.”


This paper attempts to look at whether and how far the British

Government has tried to use the broadcasts as a tool for political

propaganda and influence.


It will in turn ask whether the Persian Service has -- as part of

the BBC’s editorial whole – managed to keep its independence

intact in reporting events in a balanced and objective way.


This is part of a larger study of the relations between the

FCO and the Persian Service. And, since tackling the entire

history is outside the boundaries of this conference, two critical

periods are chosen whereby the relations became more intense:


1. The removal of Reza Shah Pahlavi in 1941;

2. The UK-Iran oil negotiations during 1948-53;

3. And we will also briefly work our way up to the years

that led to the Islamic Revolution of 1979.


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Sources of Research:


The research is conducted through three primary sources:

1. Interviews with those working with the Persian Service,

2. The archives of the Persian Service broadcasts,

3. Documents of the Public Records Office,

4. The paper has also examined several secondary sources

such as books by those directly involved either at the

British or Persian Governments or in the BBC.



See the attachment for the full version of the speech.