Representation of Ethnic Culture Identity in Satellite TV

With globalization of communications and development of communicative technologies, ethnic groups make use of these media for creating and reinforcing ethnical identity, bringing with it localization. Media industry is increasingly witnessing satellite television channels working on the theme of ethnicity, and this would probably create challenges for IRIB and the government’s monopoly over media in face of communication and information technologies. Using a documentary methodology and qualitative interview with 70 experts working in the fields of social and communications sciences, the present article aims to identify mechanisms of representing ethnic culture identity on satellite TV.Findings indicate that satellite TV channels play an important role in shaping and redefining ethnic culture identity through representational mechanisms based on “cultural distinctions,” and these mechanisms facilitate dealing with audiences. Furthermore, these media, in representing ethnic cultural identity, face certain challenges restricting the scope of their effectiveness.