A US government-funded survey on mass media trends in Iran found that state television remains by far the most common source of news for Iranians, though roughly half its viewers admit that they don't consider it to be entirely trustworthy. At the same time, Iranians are skeptical of the content in foreign news broadcasts too.
The presidential election campaign is in full swing in Kyrgyzstan. That means the state television channel, the Central Asian nation’s most popular source for news, is turning into a battleground.
Georgia’s main regulatory authority for radio and television says preference in the granting of broadcast licenses will be given to applicants that seek to entertain, rather than inform. Some observers in Tbilisi see the announcement as a government attempt to manipulate upcoming presidential and legislative elections.
A satellite news channel making its debut January 25 in Georgia receives government financing, but maintains that it will operate independently. The channel features two well-known Kremlin critics as show hosts, but executives insist that its mission is not to bash the Russian government.
