Explosions rock Baghdad, TV goes off the air

Reuters

[kattracks]

Explosions rock Baghdad, TV goes off the air

BAGHDAD, March 25 (Reuters) - Large explosions rocked Baghdad late on Tuesday and Iraqi television went off air as the first blast struck the capital.

Reuters correpondent Samia Nakhoul said several large explosions were heard and televisions in one hotel where journalists were staying immediately went black.

An official at Iraq's television station blamed a "technical problem in the transmitters" for the blackout.

The televisions remained off the air near midnight.

At least three powerful blasts rocked the city centre, an area where the television and radio headquarters and transmitters are located.

The television transmitters normally beam programmes, including news conferences by the Iraqi leadership, to a large part of the city. Iraqi radio continued broadcasting.

Baghdad was hit by repeated air strikes on Tuesday, many of them centred on locations to the east of the city where members of Iraq's Republican Guard were believed to be dug in to defend the city from U.S. ground forces approaching from the south.

03/25/03 15:55 ET

[LayoutGuru2]

The 2.5 mW backup unit will be fired up soon.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

Bump for Viking Kittens
?

[nicmarlo]

Tooting your own horn is SO attractive, especially since your "prediction" was as sure as Christmas coming.

Personally, I find it much more attractive when someone else does the "tooting." : )

[k2blader]

Would it be too cruel to broadcast the following?

[FreeTheHostages]

That website that is getting so many hits that it is temporarily unavailable, by the way, is

www.aljezeera.net

and it's new English-language launch, english.aljazeera.net

It's subject to denial of service attacks -- from too many people trying to talk to the website -- no doubt being hacked by outraged Americans who don't like those incendiary photos of POWs and dead Americans, victims of war crime.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

I heard that Saddam had the TV placed in a day care center.

The thing about day care centers is that the kids go home at night. I hope.

[HenryLeeII]

Let's not forget PBS!

[bcoffey]

"I heard that Saddam had the TV placed in a day care center."

While the studios may have been co-located with a civilian facility, perhaps the transmitter and antenna were not.

[OnAMission]

LOL!

You are quickwithepic!

[Mike Darancette]

Iraqi television went off air as the first blast struck the capital.

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

[steve-b]

An official at Iraq's television station blamed a "technical problem in the transmitters" for the blackout.

The components of the transmitter are too far apart.

[Howlin]

My old grandmother use to say that if you have to tell me how good you are, you probably aren't.

[finnman69]

About time. Bush was talked into keeping the TV station up by somebody. Bush probably reamed them after seeing the POW footage.

[TheDon]

Good point. They are being very sparing on the civilian infrastructure, as we will likely be replacing everything we break.

[steve-b]

JDAM Remote Control...

Somewhere, Elvis is looking down and grinning.

[Mudboy Slim]

"2000 lbs. worth of technical problems."

Heh heh heh...MUD

[steve-b]

Can we start broadcasting "The Facts of Life" 24/7 now on the Baghdad station?

Please -- our side is bound by the rules of civilized nations.

[cgk]

I second that.

[MeekOneGOP]

#11-12: bumpity bumpity . . .

[al_c]

Does anyone have any idea why it took sooo long for this to happen?

Because the coalition forces wanted to use this medium after taking over the country. Now I guess we'll have to send in repair crews when that happens.