Saturday Nov. 26,2005
Rooz online - Sajad Salek wrote an article with a title which reads:

Television yes, media no!

In his article Mr. Salek talks about the new way of presidents communication with people in Iran. the president rather now prefare to record a 45 min. video film by speaking to a camera in a private room than to come out and speak directly with journalists and media . The president find this way much easier than answering to the questions of journalists in a press conference or wherever he is.
Nowadays journalists are also banned to get closer to president and sometimes journalists are being pushed away by presidents security team.
The presidents interview was prerecorded and then was sent on air on the Islamic Republic channels . During the recording Mr. Ahmadinejad never was asked critical questions and it was more of an add. , like an add during his candidacy , he was talking about the first three months of him being in the office and what he has done, and was talking that; only two months and 26 days have past since he filled the office.
Beside this, in the past weeks several journalists have been called to attend to the ministry of gidance for a meeting of what to write and what to avoid to write and this situation was understood by the media and journalists as a warning.
So, it seems that the situation is gradually geting harsher for journalists to ask question from president in a press conference.
And communication with president only take place through a prerecorded video film.

IRAN WATCH CANADA

Link to this news in persian from rooz online:
http://roozonline.com/01newsstory/012004.shtml