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ITN to set up television news channel in Iraq: report

IRNA

London, Nov 7, IRNA - Britain`s Independent Television News (ITN) 
is considering to bid for a contract to establish a television news 
channel in Iraq, it was reported here on Friday. 
The Guardian newspaper reported that a division of the London news
organisation`s international operation, ITN Consulting, has a team in 
Baghdad assessing the viability of the project. 
Britain`s commercial broadcaster has experience in other parts of 
the world, having helped to establish an English language network in 
India and advised on a new independent channel in Romania. 
The interest in Iraq follows the US-British occupation authorities
putting out a tender for a two-year contract worth 10 million dollars 
for a television news channel and general entertainment station 
similar to the set-up for the Iraqi radio network. 
The Guardian suggested that it was likely that ITN would enter a 
consortium with a large US engineering firm to help secure the bid 
because most reconstruction contracts are being awarded to American 
companies. 
It also believed that the commercial broadcaster would approach 
other British organization to help, such as World Service Trust, the 
charitable arm of the BBC World Service, which is also looking into 
the Iraq media contract. 
Under the contract, the successful bidder is to provide advice on 
how to set up a public service broadcasting company, on the principles
of journalism in a democracy and the kinds of programs that such 
channels could show. 
HC/AA/210 
End