Iran’s Jam-e Jam network faces imminent closure amid plummeting viewership

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Staff Writer
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In a revealing admission, Iran’s state-run media has confirmed that the global Jam-e Jam network, which has been serving Iranians living abroad, stands on the verge of collapse.
In a revealing admission, Iran’s state-run media has confirmed that the global Jam-e Jam network, which has been serving Iranians living abroad, stands on the verge of collapse.

 

Its once-robust audience has now dwindled to alarming levels. This sentiment was echoed by the state-run newspaper, Etemad, which declared the network as currently having no “audience.”

This dwindling confidence was evident when the manager of Jam-e Jam, Hassan Maleki, announced a significant drop in viewership during a press conference last year. Appointed by Morteza Mirbagheri, vice president of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Maleki attributed this decline to “budget reductions.” Consequently, a decision was made to consolidate the three Jam-e Jam channels into a single entity, leading to the shutdown of the other two.

Shows like ‘Identity’ and ‘Cheragh’, which showcased televised interrogations of political dissidents, were popular during this time. By June 2001, the network expanded its global reach with three channels catering to different regions and switching to 24-hour broadcasts.

 

Founded in December 1997, under the leadership of Ali Larijani, the Jam-e Jam network has its roots in a controversial era of programming.
Founded in December 1997, under the leadership of Ali Larijani, the Jam-e Jam network has its roots in a controversial era of programming.

 

But the issues aren’t exclusive to Jam-e Jam. The entire IRIB ecosystem is grappling with declining viewership, a situation that stands in stark contrast to its steadily increasing budget allocation. In a move to mitigate the waning influence, Vahid Jalili, the cultural deputy of the IRIB head, reshuffled several managerial positions, only to see the network’s decline accelerate.

The diminishing clout of IRIB hasn’t gone unnoticed. The regime’s Minister of Guidance pointedly remarked, “IRIB is losing its authority.”

A survey by the Iranian Student Polling Agency (ISPA) supports this assertion. Since 2013, trust in IRIB as a news source has been in decline, while the reliance on social networks for information has grown exponentially, reaching 45% in 2022. As IRIB’s authority wanes, the digital realm has surged forward.

Historically, IRIB has faced criticism for its workforce expansion. In 2016, Ali Larijani, the then Speaker of Parliament, observed that IRIB could operate efficiently with a leaner workforce. Yet, by the end of that year, the employee count reached upwards of 50,000.

 

In conclusion, the Iranian broadcasting landscape is undergoing a paradigm shift, with traditional powerhouses like IRIB facing existential crises amidst the rising dominance of digital platforms.
In conclusion, the Iranian broadcasting landscape is undergoing a paradigm shift, with traditional powerhouses like IRIB facing existential crises amidst the rising dominance of digital platforms.

 

Budgetary allocations for IRIB have witnessed meteoric rises. From 224.125 billion tomans in 2005 to over 8 trillion tomans in 2023. Yet, despite this budgetary windfall, the institution lags behind the digital world, attempting to sustain shows with viewership in single digits.

 

 

 

MEK Iran (follow us on Twitter and Facebook), Maryam Rajavi’s on her site, Twitter & Facebook, NCRI  (Twitter & Facebook), and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTu

 

 

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