On July 2 Iran will launch its own 24 hour news and information channel Press TV, which should counter western news channels such as BBC World and CNN, according to a report from the Iranian news agency FARS. Free-to-air distribution is planned on Eutelsat Hotbird.
Apart from news bulletins Press TV will also broadcast talk shows and documentaries. According to Mohammed Sarafras, chief of the international service of the state broadcaster the channel will voice an “alternativ view”.