The government of Bashar Al-Asad has told the American-funded Al-Hurra television network that it may not broadcast a series of live discussions on the situation in Syria. The edict came after the first program in the series was aired, dealing with censorship of the press. Subsequent broadcasts were to deal with political reform.
The cancellation was because of “pressure concerning the choice of people invited to take part in the discussions and in view of the absence of cooperation,” said a spokesman for Al-Hurra.
A spokesman for the government denied Al-Hurra’s charges, saying that “all the help was extended” to the channel – apparently referring to the fact that the first program of the series had aired. In fact, according to the director of foreign media at the Ministry of Information, the program was proof of “the climate of openness and freedom” in Syria.
Based in northern Virginia, Al-Hurra began broadcasting in February 2004, aiming to provide an alternative to pan-Arab news stations like Al-Jazeera and Al-‘Arabiyya.