Supervisory Role of the Media An Explanation Emphasizing the National Media

The aim of this article is twofold (1) to clarify the role of media in the sphere of public supervision, specially the supervisory role played by the IRIB (the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) on government, and (2) to explain the barriers to fulfilling such function by the IRIB. The article discusses the subject in two sections. The method used in the first section is the documentary interview; in the second section the qualitative depth interview method is utilized. Having had interviewed 17 experts and scholars from the fields of ‘communication’ and ‘media management’, the supervisory role of the media is analyzed.The results of the study suggest that the IRIB should have a supervisory role; most experts believed that, in areas such as sports, which are less sensitive, the IRIB has been able to perform rather well. Yet considering its capacity, in the areas of political, social, and cultural affairs, the IRIB can improve its performance further. Those interviewed believed that there are two main obstacles for IRIB to fulfill its supervisory role. Elements Such as human resources, lack of self-concept in the IRIB, organizational culture and the like, constitute what a media entity has control upon. In other words, these are factors within the media vis-à-vis the environmental conditions such as compliance with the red lines, how to communicate with the government institutions, the organizational structure, financing and the like, factors which the IRIB has almost no control upon. These have overshadowed its supervisory function and are classed as barriers for IRIB in fulfilling its supervisory role.