U.S. Helps Finance New Iraqi Satellite Channel

Iraq Spring, a company attached to the U.S. occupation, is preparing to launch a new satellite channel. The channel's mission is to improve the occupation's bad reputation by working with some Iraqi journalists who have cooperated or are still cooperating with the occupation.

Ismael Zair has been appointed as a supervisor on the new channel since he is the first man to accompany the occupation with the duty of issuing the Iraqi newspaper, Al Sabaah.

Ismael Zair said that the new channel "Al Hadath" will be transmitted from the Media City in Dubai of United Arab Emirates in addition to other transmission centers that will be held in Irbil, Beirut and Brussels.

He added that the holder company bought a station called Click in the Egyptian satellite Nilesat from a U.A.E company to begin transmitting through its frequencies, the testing transmission will begin in few days expecting the permanent transmission in May 2009.

Ismael Zair emphasized that the channel will take a moderate track, encouraging mildness and thwarting violence and national extremism.

He mentioned that they have agreed with artists and educated staff from Iraq and other countries to collaborate with them presenting their work that didn't have a chance in other TV channels.

Zair added that they will finish choosing the staff for the channel in addition to the equipments for its centers and offices in cities inside and outside Iraq.

Earlier, The Pentagon declared that it devoted $300 million for the media and contracts with media staff in Iraq that worked with the occupation and to establish newspapers with the aim to improve the occupation's reputation.

It is memorable that Ismael Zair fled from Iraq due to threats arising from his cooperation with the occupation.