U.S. State Dept To Splurge on Persian Media [1]
Submitted by Diane Farsetta [2] on
"Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice [3] asked Congress yesterday to provide $75 million in emergency funding to step up pressure [4] on the Iranian government." If granted, the request would increase to $85 million the 2006 budget "to promote political change inside Iran [5]," up from $3.5 million last year [6]. $50 million would be used to "significantly increase Farsi broadcasts into Iran, mainly satellite television broadcasting by the federal government and broadcasts of the U.S.-funded Radio Farda [7]." Another $5 million "will be aimed at reaching the Iranian public through the Internet [8] and building independent Farsi television and radio stations." $15 million "would go to Iranian labor groups, human rights activists and other groups, generally via ... groups such as the National Endowment for Democracy [9]."