Press TV is a relatively new station. They've just got onto the Sky platform. It's funded by the Iranian government. When I was first invited to appear on it, I wondered whether I should. But I decided engagement was the best way forward and decided that if ever I was censored or I noticed any form of overt Iranian bias I would refuse further invitations to take part. In all I have appeared about ten times over the last two years.
Over the last few weeks I have been invited on to several of their programmes (for which they offer a fee of £75) but have declined. I have been appalled at the way their website has portrayed what's happened in the Iranian elections. Quite how they have complied with OfCom's rules on objectivity, I don't know.
Tonight, LBC presenter Nick Ferrari has resigned from his weekly Question Time type show (which I appeared on once), and Newsnight has just carried an item in which the station's MD, Matthew Richardson appeared with Martin Bright. Having heard Mr Richardson on the radio last week and now seen his ridiculous performance against Martin Bright, it has confirmed my decision not to appear on the station again, and I shall also be instructing my three colleagues from Total Politics who have appeared on their programmes not to do so in future. I hope others will do the same.
