Statements in Meeting with Managers and Officials of News Sections of IRIB

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

This meeting is essentially for me to express my gratitude for the continuous and valuable efforts of you, brothers and sisters, in this very important sector of media affairs, and to convey my appreciation for these persistent efforts and endeavors—some of which were included in a report that was presented and incorporated by them.

Yes, I acknowledge that the work of news, as mentioned, has the same importance, delicacy, difficulty, and volume of work, and what we observe today from the news and political work in the Islamic Republic's radio and television is a great task. Behind the reports presented to us from the radio or television, there is a great deal of effort, mature and coherent thinking, and careful consideration. God willing, may God assist all of you—whether those who prepare the news, those who organize it, those who read it, those who prepare the interpretations, and the rest of the extensive efforts required and that you perform—and grant you good rewards and success to advance this work better, more, and with higher quality.

News is a multifaceted task. Firstly, it is a political act. The very news that you sit and organize and execute in the relevant section is a political act. The fact that we pay attention to which news we will say, which we will highlight, which we will not say at all, which phrase we will choose for an incident to reflect a particular interpretation in the audience's mind, and which expression we will avoid, is a political act.

Today, globally, one of the most important items of political work that the world's political poles engage in is this news dissemination. Look at the events of Eastern Europe—for example, these events that last year affected all of Europe and even the world—how significant the role of news was. That political pole that benefited from the incident in a certain country affiliated with the former Eastern Bloc played a significant role in accelerating, directing, and even creating that incident that occurred in East Germany, Hungary, Poland, or elsewhere. If you removed the media, of course, this incident would have happened one day; but not so soon, with this quality, and in this direction. Just see what role the radios played.

Suppose the Islamic Republic did not rely on the supports it relies on today—people's faith, their religious belief in the system and its officials, their hope, courage, and the connections between the people and the officials—what would have happened then? These events and truths are almost nowhere else in the world in this form. Our nation is one that has both an intellectual and emotional relationship with its officials, its religious faith commands it to follow these officials, and it has intellectual exchanges with them; it listens to them and speaks to them. This situation that currently exists in our country is not found in Western democratic countries, nor in countries that had the dictatorial forms of socialist and party governments, and certainly not in those countries where individual dictatorship prevails; that is, monarchical governments or quasi-monarchical leaders.

If what is now in Iran did not exist; if in the first eleven years of the revolution, the religious bond of the people with Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) did not exist, where a gesture from him would transform hearts and guide beliefs and mobilize forces; if this love of the people for the Imam and their belief in Islam—which they see this system as representing—did not exist, see what these radios and news and provocations and the subtleties used in foreign news reporting would do and what they would bring upon the Islamic Republic system. It would be something very strange. News is this influential.

Truly, if we say that today political influence and power in the world are based on three pillars: first, wealth and financial resources; second, scientific and technological capabilities; the third is certainly news capabilities and news dominance. If America had the same current wealth and scientific progress but its news stations were taken away, how much would its influence decrease? Would it decrease by a third? Certainly, it would decrease by more than a third in the world.

The Islamic Republic in the world has the same characteristics that they mentioned; that is, oppression and loneliness, and as we say in Mashhad: a stepchild. I don't know if you understand what a stepchild means? It means a child in a family belonging to another mother. A brother or sister of the members of a family, but belonging to another mother. Among several children belonging to one mother and this child belonging to another mother, there is a kind of preconceived and predetermined alienation and unfamiliarity. The Islamic Republic is truly like this.

I have seen in international gatherings, everyone comes and praises and says: What a good speech you gave, how bravely you acted, how you did in the war, and how you dealt with America. They are right and they say it sincerely. I have encountered in these international gatherings where heads of countries and famous world figures praised and said: Your speech really made waves, or Iran's stance and position in such and such a case was severe and extraordinary. All these are preserved in their place; but when we reach the critical moment, where a vote must be given, suddenly we see that everyone is on one side and we are on the other; completely alone!

We are not at all worried about this estrangement that the Islamic Republic has—which has its reasons—and we believe that this estrangement will be resolved by the inclination of new generations and new policies and new poles towards what we are in and the position we hold. We now observe its signs in the world. A discerning eye sees very clearly what is happening in the world. Undoubtedly, the balance will change in our favor; but in these few years, it has been this way and still is; that is, we have a state of estrangement in the world. In this state of estrangement, see how sensitive the burden you have taken on is. It is really not expected that you do not make mistakes—mistakes are anticipated—but strive to minimize these mistakes and do not let them increase.

Another point is that you are a weapon in the hands of Islam and Islam benefits from you; that is, you are soldiers of this great Islamic front. You must have attraction in all the scope of this news and sound wave, especially within our borders. Consider this a principle and strive to create attraction. The principle is that whenever news and political interpretation and the speech of the week and these programs that were named are broadcast, your listener, wherever they are, should rush to the radio and television to hear your speech.

The second dimension of your work is artistic work. You are artists; that is, your work is precisely an artistic work. This text must be organized and presented and read in a way that has attraction. One of the things that destroys attraction is misreading. Misreading is of two kinds: one is misreading the correct text, and the other is organizing the wrong text; that is, correctly reading the wrong text. Misreading the correct text is when you, for example, read a word incorrectly. Suppose those brothers who are announcers read Persian phrases incorrectly, or, for example, do not pronounce Arabic phrases correctly. Of course, now, thanks be to God, it has become much better; but at first, it was very bad. It cannot be said that it has become completely error-free; but thanks be to God, it is very low-error; especially when brothers work and I sometimes find out that a lot of work is done on a text. So, misreading is one of the anti-attraction things. Misorganizing is the same.

You must ensure the highest level of Persian expression in your texts. It does not matter what text it is; whether it is a news text or an interpretation text; because interpretation is as important as news. Therefore, what is read must be one of the strongest and most correct Persian texts. Unfortunately, it is not like this now. I have said this many times; but it still is.

Of course, there were marked ugly errors like "it is necessary to mention" that were repeatedly used in the news; but fortunately, now they are not. I specifically emphasized this sentence in one of the IRIB seminars and said: "it is necessary to mention" is wrong. Why do you say "it is necessary to mention" so much? Is it good to read "must" as "must"? Is it good? This wrong word should not be said and should be avoided altogether. Hearing a wrong word, for someone who knows it is wrong, is like a slap in the face! ...

I say this as someone who loves you; because you are like my children and brothers and you work there and I understand that you work. Therefore, because I love you, its negative impact on me is reduced. Now consider that listener who does not have much feeling and interest towards you. They turn on the radio, listen, and realize how ugly and bad the expression used is.

This expression "it is necessary to mention" was one of those things that I had become somewhat sensitive to, and every time it was said, I really shuddered. Of course, now fortunately it has become somewhat less. Although it has been circularized not to use this sentence, others use it! Thanks be to God, it is not in the news; but I sometimes see that in non-news television talks and in the middle of a good speech, someone who has a very delicate and fine and good expression suddenly remembers something and says: "it is necessary to mention!" Really, what reason do you have to ruin such a good speech with this wrong word?! Now, this is one word; but if I want to count the errors, it is more than these. There should be no errors at all. You should have a proofreader—and as foreigners say, an editor—who looks and says whether this word is correct or not. Do not let any news be organized incorrectly at all. The most common and prevalent speech of a media is its news; therefore, it should not be wrong.

Correct Persian is a sweet and extensive language. Now our language is more extensive than Arabic. Of course, the original Dari language on which we have moved until today is not more extensive than Arabic; but today, everything in our language—almost sixty percent of our language and forty percent of Arabic words we have brought—is ours, and as the late Al-e Ahmad said, the language I speak is my language. For example, should we say "word" is Arabic and not pronounce it! No, it is not like this. "Word" is Persian and we speak with each other.

The Persian language, in addition to its own expansion and combinability, is a very good and sweet and capacious language and like a balloon, it can expand a hundred times its current volume; but the Arabic language is not like this. The Arabic language is like a large sack; it is what it is and its expansion and extensibility are limited. The Persian language is smaller than that; but its extensibility is very high. This extensible and capable language, in addition to having half of the Arabic language now included in it, can express all subtleties. Why ruin such a good language with wrong expressions, especially on radio and television? So see, correct speaking is important.

An ordinary person may not understand correctly and no matter what you say, they may not comprehend; but not all people are ordinary. There are intelligent and educated and respectable people who turn on the radio and hear your words. Sometimes when you mispronounce something, I am embarrassed by those who hear it! Now, what we say belongs to us; but I am embarrassed by others who hear it. So see, one of the anti-attraction characteristics is incorrect speaking. You must not let incorrect speaking continue.

Another attraction-creating characteristic, whose opposite is anti-attraction, is artistic work. Speak artistically. Of course, the news announcers, these gentlemen and ladies whose faces I know some of and some who are on the radio and I do not know, if we do not say generally, thanks be to God, they are mostly good; but it can be better than this. Talk to your listener and audience.

Once, three or four years ago, two of these announcers from other radio and television sections came to me. I knew them; because I am almost one of the users of IRIB programs. I told them, why do you become disordered when you sit in front of the camera? So that you speak correctly after this, whenever you speak, remember that I am sitting behind the device and listening; talk to me. Those two are now among the good television announcers and I see that they really observe.

When you speak, talk to your listener. Know that someone is listening to your words. Talk to them like someone who understands. This is different from reading a text in front of a wall. Do not be like this. Do artistic work. Reading is an artistic act. Writing is an artistic act. Use as much as you can the subtleties and beauties of literary and writing in the news text. Make a beautiful and at the same time easy text. A complex and convoluted and winding text, specific to the elite, is of no use.

News must be in ultimate beauty and breadth; that is, everyone should understand. An illiterate old woman sitting at home, when she turns on her radio or television, should understand what you are saying to her. This is artistic work and requires practice. A group should sit and practice this work. There should be a group that, when news is organized, reviews it.

Not all news is such that it reaches you immediately. Of course, I have seen that news editorial section where gentlemen sit around the table and organize the news. News organization should not be done in haste. There should be an opportunity and people should sit and pay attention to this—especially in interpretations. Of course, this weekly report program that is broadcast on Friday evenings from television is good and is well organized and executed in terms of language and execution. This is also an aspect of attraction.

Another aspect for attraction is to provide the necessary intellectual nourishment to people's minds like a party. Our society is a party-less society. Of course, in some respects, it is a virtue; but it also has a flaw. The existence of a party in a society causes the mental gaps of some people to be filled. In the early days of the revolution, when we had the Islamic Republic Party, we studied societies that work with parties. If Saddam did not have this party, he would have been blown away ten times by now. This party has somewhat kept him. In fact, a party is a channeling for delivering the necessary intellectual nourishment to the minds of some people who are in the party. We do not have this in our society; it is a gap. You must fill this gap. Not that you create a party; the party is this. We have a party called television and radio that has a branch in every home. Try to provide or deliver the political intellectual nourishment of the people every week, or even every day, with this intention and attention that you want to equip and justify some people politically.

News is not just that something happened in the world and now we have to say it. No, many news items are not worth saying at all. Some news is even harmful. There is a raw intellectualism that believes everything should be told to the people. I do not accept this. Why should everything be told to the people? Do you tell your child everything that happens to you at home? Should it be said, or should it not be said? Why do you not tell your child all the news inside your home? Because some news is harmful to them or not interesting at all.

Some world news is not interesting to our people at all. Now they knew, they knew; they did not know, they did not know. Naturally, these news items are omitted. Some news is even harmful. An incident is created somewhere and millions and billions of dollars are spent to bring it to our ears. Then we come and bring the same incident to our people's ears through our media! Is this wise?! What the enemy has created and spends billions of dollars on to bring to our ears, we even block it and if it wants to reach, we broadcast interference so it does not broadcast; but what reason do we have to give that news? So see, not every news is worth saying. It may be that the majority of news is worth saying; but sometimes, it may not even be the majority.

This news that you want to give and this analysis and interpretation that you want to present must be organized in a way that fills the mental gaps of our people. That is, as soon as someone turns on the radio, they receive a line of thought from you. This work is a very positive and good thing; but always be done with the goal of broadening people's perspectives. That is, remember that one of our goals is for people's minds to be open. Of course, our policies differ from the policies of past socialist societies. They channeled all news and events and even delivered lies to the people. I had heard and then saw for myself that the radios operating among the people were such that they did not receive foreign radios; that is, they tampered with the receivers so that no one could receive other places!

We do not think this way. We want people to think broadly. It is with knowledge of world events that people become vaccinated against many ill-wills and mental and intellectual conspiracies. So, this movement that you are doing, do it with the goals of the Islamic Republic in mind. One of those goals is for people to develop mature minds and, more importantly, to gain analytical power.

My recommendation to you and all those who work in political activities is to strive to raise people with analytical power. If this is done, many tasks will be solved by themselves. Also, take seriously the issue that they said we do not work in lines and factions. That is, our society really does not tolerate the selection and choice of news and the activity of one faction against another. God forbid, if such tendencies arise, it will betray the system. Be very careful and move in this direction with precision and caution.

You have taken on a heavy task. God willing, may God grant you success and reward and help you. We hope that after this, every time we sit down to listen to your interpretations and news and reports and statements, we truly benefit more than before.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings