Alhurra Televisions broadcasts of
the historic events in Libya have been jammed on the Nilesat satellite
system since Feb. 23. The Nilesat system, one of the most popular
satellite systems in the region, also carries Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya.
The radio signals on Nilesat of Radio Sawa (in Arabic), Radio Farda (in
Persian), Radio Free Iraq (in Arabic) and Voice of America (in Kurdish)
have also faced intermittent interference in Nilesat.
The right to freedom of information is universal and essential amidst the tumultuous events in the region, said Walter Isaacson, chair of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), which oversees all U.S.
international broadcasting including Alhurra TV, VOA and RFE. Efforts,
including satellite jamming, to prevent people in the Middle East and
North Africa from getting much-needed accurate news and information are
abhorrent.”
Al Jazeera and Deutsche Welle have reported similar deliberate, harmful
interferences with satellite transmissions.
The jamming of the satellite system comes at the height of U.S.
international broadcastings extensive coverage of the uprising and
violence in Libya. Alhurra has provided live, continuous coverage since protests began Feb. 16. Surge broadcasting has included first person
accounts from Tripoli, Benghazi, Tubruk and Misratah. Alhurra is also
soliciting feedback from viewers in Libya and asking them to call in and
report what they are witnessing, as well as sending video and still
images through Facebook and YouTube. Alhurras correspondents in
Benghazi are interviewing protesters who say they are demonstrating
because they want Libya to be a free country and their children to live
in a democracy. Alhurra is also providing viewers with the American
perspective through talk shows and analysis from American experts on
Libya and the Middle East.
The coverage of Libya follows Alhurras in-depth reporting from Egypt, where surveys showed that 25 percent of Egyptian adults were tuning into Alhurra for the latest news on the demonstrations in Tahrir Square and across Egypt.
Intermittent but sustained interference to Alhurra Television meant viewers first lost images and then their screens went black between Feb. 23 and 27. Radio channels continued to be jammed on Nilesat as of Feb.28. Jamming this month has also affected TV and radio broadcasts to Iran for VOAs Persian News Network and Radio Farda.