Advanced Television

Intelsat suspends Iranian TV channels

June 20, 2013

By Chris Forrester

Intelsat says it is recognising a US ruling in favour of formal sanctions against Iran, and in particular against the president of Iran’s national broadcasting corporation (IRIB).  The decision also means that Press TV, an English-language news channel broadcast from Tehran, is also curtailed.

Intelsat says that it has been ordered by the US government to avoid extending IRIB’s contracts, noting that it will stop providing services as of 1 July. Intelsat is following Eutelsat, SES and most other satellite operators in taking the channels down.

Press TV has been proscribed by most European governments and its transmissions have been taken off the air in several Western countries, including Britain, France, Germany and Spain.

Categories: Articles, Broadcast, Policy, Regulation