Washington weighs in on Eutelsat ban

The war of words has reached Washington. Eutelsat's ban on 19 Iran-based television and radio stations has met with mixed results in the US capital. Cliff Kincaid of the conservative media group Accuracy in Media supports the ban as a reasonable tool of sanctions. But others disagree. According to a Washington DC-based journalist, the ban highlights the lack of media freedom. Although Press TV is not broadcast on cable television in the US, it can be viewed via satellite. And it is still available via Eutelsat despite being denied access to broadcasting in Europe but not under the same frequency. Proponents of the European media blackout here in Washington take their support for the ban a step further, asking that any government-sponsored news channels be labeled as agents of foreign countries. They say this is allowed under American legislation known as the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Some journalists and media advocates disagree, stating a diverse media is important for balance and well-rounded coverage. In the latest developments, European Union spokesperson Maya Kosyanchich has denied Eutelsat statements that the satellite provider was required by the EU Commission to drop the Iranian channels.

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