I support FARSI1

“Farsi1” is a Persian speaking channel which has entered in Iranians life less than one year and people can easily access it via satellite. This channel is mainly showing American, Latin and east Asian routine series. The topics include the very shallow comedies, melodramas and thrill shows dubbed awkward in Persian language but the channel success in Iran is amazing.

In university when I give my students a break they are talking about Farsi1. My sister teaches in high school, she says the same. In the streets people and sellers and drivers debate about Farsi1 and inside of the houses mothers following Farsi1 series one by one from early morning until evenings when the husbands and children joins them!

Iranian officials seem to have a very hard time now wondering why people don’t showing interest in Iranian official tv programs anymore although they show a “better” American, English, and east Asian series dubbing in a very higher quality beside some of good Persian series that our artists making here and sincerely I don’t have a doubt about their artistic values but the truth is none of the programs Iran official tv is showing now has a sparkle beside Farsi1 shallow tv shows! I think I know the WHY.

Muslim critics believe Farsi1 channels has nothing valuable and it’s just teaching some anti morals, cheating, open relationships etc…which will be harmful for families and it might deviates the younger generations especially the females.

Iran Islamic revolution was a new and odd phenomenon socially and politically in my country. Islamists suddenly came over other political parties… faded the liberals, nationalists and communists. After victory they needed to make a new culture based on Islam. Include closing all the bars, making women to wear scarf and having no relation wit opposite sex before marriage. Due to this new “amazing” schedul they mainly concentrated on art products and media and our tv programs fundamentally changed. If someone wanted to watch something different there were illegal DVDs in main language or with Persian subtitles which is not attractive for us. We are not good in English and don’t like subtitled movies. So Iran regime started to dub the Western series with censor! So can you imagine Titanic and Mr. and Mrs. Smith movies without a dance or kiss scene? While Iranian regime were editing even the views of women cleavage!

Farsi1 gives this chance to watch the so called shallow series in our mother language.

The channel is a part of a “News corporation” which belongs to a Jewish owner “Rupert Murdoch”. Muslims believe it’s the Zionism policy behind Farsi1 who wants to influence their made up Iranian-Islamic culture. I believe there is nothing wrong with Farsi1. It’s a way for Iranian middle class families to get more liberated and a subtle attempt to change their Islamic beliefs gradually. If the channel owner is Jew or a Hindu or an atheist doesn’t matter I truly thank him.

In one of the most famous Farsi1 series “Victoria” a Colombian product a famous lawyer cheated on her 50 years old wife and this is a familiar topic for Iranian families.

I assume people were first expecting to see Victoria keep taking care of her children and the lawyer finally coming back to her while she is still waiting for the cheater husband. But it never happened. Victoria found a 30 years old journalist true lover and surprisingly people here including females started criticizing her!!! Happily at the end of series I saw many people even some of the guys were showing sympathy for Victoria as a human. Doesn’t matter how shallow the series are but they seem to be highly needed for my people who are on the edge of changing their values and also the best way for them to revision in their beliefs and past.

Frida Kahlo