WBUR-NPR Radio, Boston

29 Nov 2001

WBUR-NPR Radio, Boston
Tom Ashbrook wrote:

Sir:

I have not had time to go back and listen to the particular program
you cite. I will tell you this fact: we have correctly referred to
the Persian Gulf on many occasions over the life of this show. If
indeed someone did misspeak in the show you heard, you may be
confident this would have been a small, inadvertant error in the
context of very substantial, accurate reporting on this region and on
the Persian Gulf. I encourage you to shift your focus to this great
body of accurate reference. There is absolutely no pattern of
misrepresentation here. On the contrary.

Respectfully yours,
Tom Ashbrook

On 29 Nov 2001, at 20:21, Javad Fakharzadeh wrote:
Date sent: Thu, 29 Nov 2001 20:21:52 -0500
From: Javad Fakharzadeh <ate@world.std.com>
To: tashbroo@wbur.bu.edu
Copies to: "board@PersianGulfOnline.org"
Subject: Special Report Airing False Statement

Tom Ashbroo
NPR Program Special Coverage Host
November 29, 2001

Dear Mr. Ashbroo,

On thanksgiving evening you hosted the program Special Coverage (7-9
PM WBUR-NPR) with your guest Simin Shaheen, an Arab musician. In the
program perhaps inadvertently, you used the term Arabian Gulf
several times. I looked up the world map and could not find this body of
water. Would you be kind enough to let me know what you were
referring to?

In case you may be referring to the body of water between Iran and
the Saudi Arabia, I would like to bring to your attention that the body
of water just south of Iran is called Persian Gulf in which this name
has been on the world maps for over 2500 years and is recognized by the
United Nations Mandate ST/CS/SER.A/29/Add.2 of 18 August 1994, the
library of congress, and the PGTF standard.

Our task force is very sensitive about the misuse of the historic
name Persian Gulf. Therefore, I appreciate your correction to this error
aired by WBUR-Boston on November 22, 2001 and make proper correction
to future broadcasting's.

Please be advised that to be recognized as a viable broadcast
institution, you must abide by the FCC regulations as well as the
international norm and standard by observing and speaking the truth
to the public. In case you wish to be recognized as a respectful
journalist, you must abide by certain rules and standards.

Unless you make proper correction to this gross mistake and in your
future broadcasts, we will have no choice but to report you to our
abuser department.

Regards,

Javad Fakharzadeh
PGTF East Coast Region
www.persiangulfonline.org