A large group of media directors and producers from various countries who are currently on a visit to Iran to participate in the 7th International Radio Festival met the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei on Tuesday, May 16.
In an address to the audience, the Leader described as ‘very significant and decisive' the role of the media in setting intellectual and cultural directions, shaping the identity of nations and promoting moral and spiritual values in societies.
Ayatollah Khamenei also referred to the existing intellectual and cultural monopoly over the world's media and the media's role in promoting the interests of large economic corporations and domineering powers.
"If religion, moral principles and noble virtues prevail in the field of media management and production, surely the condition of mankind will become much better than what it currently is, and under such circumstances the media can prepare the ground for the mankind's prosperity and well-being," Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out.
The Leader stated that while the media can work to improve the condition of mankind and promote peace and security in the world, they can also instigate devastative wars, disseminate harmful qualities and conduct and sap nations of their identity. He added that the media can also set the stage for bilateral and multilateral dialogue among nations and facilitate the exchange of cultural, moral and noble human values among them.
Further in his statements, Ayatollah Khamenei described the world's media as a 'one-way road', since they only reflect the views and demands of those owning the media empire.
"Today, the world's media are totally monopolized by those possessing the largest arms factories and the most devastative atomic bombs, those who are not in favor of the establishment of moral virtues, religion, spirituality and peace in the world," Ayatollah Khamenei remarked.
He further stated, "Today, the interest of the possessors of wealth and power requires that the media under their control portray Islam as tantamount to terrorism and portray the United States as the epitome of human rights and democracy. Such great lies are insinuated into the minds of the world public as facts by using the most advanced apparatus and the most sophisticated methods."
The Leader noted that the world's media in a coordinated move treated the outbreak of the bird's flu, which took the lives of perhaps fewer than 1000 people in the whole world, as their lead story, but they kept silent about the massacre of 120,000 civilians in Iraq.
"Also, if in an explosion somewhere in Palestine a few Zionists are killed, the incident will be described as a 'tragedy' by the world's media. But the everyday massacre of Palestinian Muslims and the Zionist regime's officially announcing that it intends to assassinate Palestinian activists are disregarded by these same media," the Leader told the audience.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei hinted at the outcry and commotion raised about the nuclear research conducted by the Iranian scientists.
"The interest of those running the world's media empire requires that they claim that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons, while those behind this propaganda ploy know very well that their claim is a mere lie. However, no news reports are published by the world's media about the efforts made by a nation's scientists to attain advanced technology for peaceful purposes," Ayatollah Khamenei observed.
The Leader of the Islamic Republic referred to these realities as the chronic maladies besetting the world's media. He also noted that what nations actually want and their real aspirations are not reflected by the media.
"If the world's media reflect the viewpoints of the Iranian nation on important global issues such as human rights, religious democracy, the role of religion in the people's lives, the role of women in social life and also the viewpoints of Islam on women and inform Western citizens of these viewpoints, important events will take place and many of the current misunderstandings will be removed and, ultimately, politicians and those wielding power will only have a limited scope for making decisions based on the interests of financial empires in the world," the Leader added.
Further in his statements, Ayatollah Khamenei touched on the significant and influential role of radio, despite the emergence of various audiovisual media. He stated that the significance and influence of any medium would double the responsibilities of that medium's directors and producers, and he laid emphasis on the heaviness of duties of radio directors and producers.
The Director of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) Ezzatollah Zarghami, speaking at the meeting, said that independent media are expanding their cooperation, and that they are boosting their national identity and solidarity in the face of the aggression waged by the media controlled by those wielding power in the world.
The Secretary General of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) David Astley, also speaking at the meeting, referred to the fact that more than 100 radio and television broadcasters are members of the ABU, and he expressed his gratitude for the active role played by the IRIB in the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union.
Astley added that in the light of introducing digital technology into the radio industry, this old and influential medium is once again attaining a prominent status.
Furthermore, a number of radio directors and producers of South Africa, France, Saudi Arabia and the Netherlands expressed their views on the role played by the media in the world.