Egypt has barred three private Iraqi TV stations from its main satellite system. Al-Baghdadia, al-Rafidain and al-Hadath TV stations were all barred from the state-owned Nilesat, which broadcasts across the Middle East and North Africa, the head of Egypts broadcasting regulator Free Zone said. The three channels have been off the air in Iraq and […]
Egypt has barred three private Iraqi TV stations from its main satellite system. Al-Baghdadia, al-Rafidain and al-Hadath TV stations were all barred from the state-owned Nilesat, which broadcasts across the Middle East and North Africa, the head of Egypts broadcasting regulator Free Zone said.
The three channels have been off the air in Iraq and Egypt since last week. They often took a pro-Sunni, anti-Iraqi government line that appeals to the countrys Sunni minority, although al-Baghdadiya in particular had investigative programming that attracted a broader segment of the population.
The channels have covered the onslaught by Sunni insurgent group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria extensively and carried statements from the al Qaeda offshoot.
It is believed that the decision to block the channels was linked to complaints from Iraq.
The regulators head, Abdel Moneim al-Alfy, said: al-Baghdadia and al-Rafidain channels were taken off Nilesat for violating their contracts with the Free Zone authority regarding their content. He did not directly link the decision to Iraqs complaints.
We have received complaints from the Iraqi government about the channels contents and are investigating them now, that is all I could say so far, al-Alfy said.
He said al-Hadaths permit had expired.
