New probe on Hezbollah TV

(WARNING): Article contains propaganda!

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BARNEY ZWARTZ
February 5, 2010

HEZBOLLAH'S TV station is to be investigated again to see whether it breaks Australian rules on supporting terrorism, racial vilification and hate speech.

The Lebanese station al-Manar - popular with the Arabic community, which receives it by satellite - has twice been banned in Australia but was cleared last July.

Yesterday the Australian Communications and Media Authority announced it was opening a new and much broader investigation, including specific complaints about content, and would also consider whether it should tighten the anti-terrorism standards.

ACMA chairman Chris Chapman said there had been significant community concern about al-Manar broadcasts and about last year's review. After it, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy forwarded more material and asked ACMA to keep the station under review.

''We have broadened the investigation from anti-terrorism standards to include racial vilification and hate speech, and we have considerable material to work through,'' Mr Chapman said.

ACMA last investigated al-Manar in 2008 after The Age alerted it that the station was being broadcast from Indonesia by a company part-owned by the Indonesian government.

The authority monitored transmissions from August 28 to September 5, 2008. While it found references to a designated terrorist organization, it did not find attempts to recruit people or solicit funds, which is illegal.

Yesterday Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council director Colin Rubenstein welcomed the new investigation, especially its wider brief and the review of the regulations.

''Al-Manar is well-known for its anti-Semitic content, including the mediaeval blood libel accusing Jews of murdering non-Jews to use their blood for religious purposes,'' Dr Rubenstein said.

He gave examples of material AIJAC had complained about.

ACMA is inviting the public to submit concerns by March 5.

Source: The Age.
Link: http://www.theage.com.au/national/new-probe-on-hezbollah-tv-20100204-ng6x.html.