Free Republic

Rebuilding Iraq's media By Stephen King Director, BBC World Service Trust In the British-controlled southern region of Iraq there is a cautious welcome. Groups of children wave and sometimes adults give a thumbs-up sign. A youth standing between the carcasses of two rotting camels on the side of the main highway between Safwan and Basra stuck two fingers up. "They even know the one-finger salute now," commented our driver. Iraqis are sceptical about some of the channels set up by the coalition This was my first visit to Iraq - as part of a BBC team organised by the...

Britain and the US beam 'Freedom TV' into Iraqi homes By Paul Waugh Deputy Political Editor 11 April 2003 George Bush and Tony Blair broadcast directly to the Iraqi people last night via a new television channel set up by US and British forces. "Towards Freedom TV", was beamed from a specially-equipped American aircraft as it flew over Iraq. It will transmit five hours of programming – spoken in Arabic or subtitled – every day, carrying everything from news bulletins,information about water supplies to arts features. It got off to an inauspicious start when power cuts in Baghdad ensured no...