Excerpt:
Britain's telecommunications regulator, Ofcom, revoked the license of Iranian state-owned television Press TV over breaches of the broadcasting code. Press TV has fired back, calling the move "questionable" and stating that the real intention is to undermine the political messages of the channel.
Ofcom's decision outlines that in order to obtain a British broadcasting license, the Britain-based branch must have control over the content of its programs. The decision charges that the real editorial decisions of London-based Press TV Ltd. are actually made by Press TV International, which follows the dictates of the Iranian government. Press TV Ltd. was also fined £100,000 last month for a 2009 violation of "broadcasting an interview under duress," when the company conducted an interview with detained Newsweek correspondent Maziar Bahari. Press TV Ltd. failed to pay or even respond to the fine.