Challenges of IRIB in the Face of Digital Technological Developments

Television, as a cultural, political and social institution, has encountered many challenges in relation with digital technological developments. Optimistic approaches to digital technologies which have been reinforced by deterministic and actor-oriented theories interacted with neo-liberal political and economic theories that not only created conceptual challenges such as old and new media, television and post- television eras, public or private television, but also challenged the linear distribution and broadcast system of television due to the emergence of convergence phenomenon eventually. This article seeks to evaluate the responses of Iranian television (IRIB) to these challenges. This qualitative analytical analysis provides the readers with a theoretical, conceptual and historical overview of the digital television phenomenon. Performing 8 in-depth interviews with concerned experts as well as analysis of documents and available statistics reveal challenges to Iranian television such as convergence, struggle for producing content, competition with new media and media regulations. This article reviews responses of Iranian television to these challenges including structural changes, launching thematic  channels that broadcast entertainment programs and expanding production on new platforms. It suggests that television in the Iranian media ecosystem still has a profound impact on the public and is deeply linked with the concept of national unity and security. Digital technology development stemming from America and western experience is not necessarily used in other countries and indigenous factors and national conditions of countries like Islamic Republic of Iran has to be taken into account.