WORLD NEWS

A young woman’s death in Iran has sparked an uprising. News organizations are grappling with how to cover it

Oct 7, 2022, 5:00 AM

people protest in iran...

Dozens of people stage a demonstration to protest the death of a 22-year-old woman under custody in Tehran Iran on September 21. (Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

(Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

  (CNN) — Nationwide protests have gripped Iran for weeks following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was taken into custody by the government’s morality police for apparently not wearing her hijab properly. Her death has sparked violent clashes between demonstrators and authorities, reportedly leaving scores dead.

The uprising has received considerable attention in the Western press, especially as the fundamentalist Islamic regime has cracked down on the demonstrations with brute force.

But as protesters surge through the streets of Iran, Western news organizations largely aren’t filing stories from the authoritarian-led country that has curtailed the free press, jailed journalists, and shut down the Internet. NBC News does have a correspondent in Tehran (kudos to them), but because of logistical issues and security concerns, the vast majority of Western outlets do not maintain a presence in the country. Most datelines on stories are from the nearby region, outside Iran. The Associated Press and Reuters, for example, are filing stories about the unrest from Dubai.

A version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter. Sign up for the daily digest chronicling the evolving media landscape here.

Western news organizations are largely relying on networks of contacts, groups like Amnesty International, a student-run news agency, as well as social media reports for information. CNN’s stories notably state that the network has “not been able to independently verify the number of the dead and injured.”

Pouria Mahrouyan, a senior editor at BBC News Persian who oversees the social media and interactive team, said that because the news organization has no reporters in Iran, they are “largely relying on social media and user-generated-content” each day.

But doing so doesn’t come without risk. Of particular concern, Mahrouyan said, some videos posted to social media sites are part of a government disinformation campaign. “They have a cyber army and they massively produce social media videos, even fake interviews,” Mahrouyan said of the Iranian regime. The government, he said, has also attempted to set traps to manipulate Western media into reporting falsehoods: “They can then say foreign media is reporting fake news.”

While the Iranian government is seeking to manipulate the conversation outside its borders, it is simultaneously using its state-controlled television and radio apparatus to control the narrative inside the country.

Trita Parsi, a prominent Iran expert, said the outlets have worked to “downplay the protests, ignore the protests, or cast them as a conspiracy.” Amir Hossein Mahdavi, another Iran expert, said state-controlled media is “depicting these events” in the same way the country’s supreme leader has: “Initiated by the outside, by the CIA and Mossad.”

Recent stories from Fars News Agency and Press TV, which both publish and broadcast in English, have breathlessly echoed the deceptions pushed by the country’s government.

But the regime’s attempts to control the narrative has faced setbacks. “There is a massive amount of people who have access to satellite dishes and getting their news from the outside,” Parsi explained. “It’s not like they are only relying only on Iranian news outlets, which they take with a grain of salt.”

In fact, BBC Persian is one of the most influential sources of information for those inside Iran. Mahrouyan noted the outlet’s Instagram account has one of the largest followings within Persian media, boasting 18.6 million followers.

“The ability of the state,” Parsi said, “to be able to push their narrative has been significantly weakened.”

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

World news

Outside of the Yale University Law School is pictured on September 27, 2018 in New Haven, Connectic...

Zenebou Sylla, CNN

Some New England universities, including Yale, break $90,000 barrier for total tuition cost in upcoming school year

(CNN) — Several New England universities and colleges, including Yale, have reached a pinnacle of at least $90,000 for undergraduate tuition and costs starting this fall. Yale University, Tufts University, Boston University (BU), and Wellesley College are among a few private institutions that will top this year’s costs for tuition, housing and other expenses, according to […]

8 hours ago

The bodies of two men, ages 35 and 26, were recovered from the water, Col. Roland L. Butler Jr., se...

LEA SKENE and BRIAN WITTE Associated Press

Investigation of Baltimore bridge collapse picks up speed as divers recover 2 bodies from water

BALTIMORE (AP) — Investigators began collecting evidence Wednesday from the cargo ship that plowed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge and caused its collapse, while in the waters below divers searched through twisted metal for six construction workers who plunged into the harbor and were feared dead.   The bodies of two men, ages 35 and 26, […]

13 hours ago

1040 form shown, tax refund season is here...

Sam Herrera

Should you spend or save your tax refund?

Filing your taxes can be a headache but figuring out how to spend your tax refund might be a headache in its own right.

14 hours ago

Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval (left) is survived by a wife and two children, his brother said. (Cred...

Holly Yan, Maria Santana, Melissa Alonso and Allison Gordon, CNN

Fathers, entrepreneurs among presumed dead after Baltimore bridge collapse

Two of the people killed in Baltimore's Bridge collapse have been identified. Both men were working on the bridge when it was hit.

18 hours ago

Black box recovered from cargo ship, which is pictured here...

Elizabeth Wolfe, Melissa Alonso and Yahya Abou-Ghazala, CNN

‘Black box’ data recorder recovered from ship that hit Baltimore bridge

Authorities are looking at data from the "black box" recovered from the cargo ship that crashed into and collapsed the bridge in Baltimore.

23 hours ago

Doughnuts are displayed for sale at a Krispy Kreme store on February 13, in Austin, Texas. Krispy K...

Ramishah Maruf, CNN

Krispy Kreme doughnuts are coming to McDonald’s

The Krispy Kreme doughnuts will be available nationwide at participating restaurants by the end of 2026, after a phased rollout beginning later this year.

23 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

A young woman’s death in Iran has sparked an uprising. News organizations are grappling with how to cover it