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Iran TV pulls game shows amid religious gambling row | Iran TV pulls game shows amid religious gambling row |
(32 minutes later) | |
Iranian state TV has temporarily banned the country's equivalent of Who Wants to a Millionaire after complaints by senior clerics and conservatives. | Iranian state TV has temporarily banned the country's equivalent of Who Wants to a Millionaire after complaints by senior clerics and conservatives. |
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that game-shows endanger the "culture of hard work and productivity" that the country seeks to encourage. | Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that game-shows endanger the "culture of hard work and productivity" that the country seeks to encourage. |
Now a senior Shia cleric has issued a fatwa (an Islamic religious ruling) against shows like Be a Winner that offer cash prizes. | |
Gambling is banned under Islamic law. | Gambling is banned under Islamic law. |
Grand Ayatollah Nasser Makarem-Shirazi's fatwa targets shows that offer cash rewards to viewers and participants. | Grand Ayatollah Nasser Makarem-Shirazi's fatwa targets shows that offer cash rewards to viewers and participants. |
Makarem-Shirazi called them a form of "gambling" and "games of chance" and stressed that they were forbidden under Islamic law. | Makarem-Shirazi called them a form of "gambling" and "games of chance" and stressed that they were forbidden under Islamic law. |
The show, hosted by actor and model Mohammad Reza Golzar, gives contestants the chance to win up to 1bn Iranian rials (about $25,000) and allows audiences to win money by participating at home via an app. | The show, hosted by actor and model Mohammad Reza Golzar, gives contestants the chance to win up to 1bn Iranian rials (about $25,000) and allows audiences to win money by participating at home via an app. |
News agencies criticised state-broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) for "running a halal casino" by running these lottery-style competitions for viewers. | News agencies criticised state-broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) for "running a halal casino" by running these lottery-style competitions for viewers. |
The IRIB said it was launching an enquiry into TV shows that engage in similar practices. | The IRIB said it was launching an enquiry into TV shows that engage in similar practices. |
Media in the country reported that Be a Winner would be off the air for at least a week, while state television executives said they would work to change the show's sponsorship. | Media in the country reported that Be a Winner would be off the air for at least a week, while state television executives said they would work to change the show's sponsorship. |
Another Millionaire-style show, Five Stars, also told fans on Instagram that the show would not be broadcast his week, but offered no further explanation. | Another Millionaire-style show, Five Stars, also told fans on Instagram that the show would not be broadcast his week, but offered no further explanation. |
Conservative outlets called for far-reaching consequences to what they called an "embarrassment" and suggested the head of the channel that airs Be a Winner should be fired. | Conservative outlets called for far-reaching consequences to what they called an "embarrassment" and suggested the head of the channel that airs Be a Winner should be fired. |
Iran has experimented with a number of programmes adapted from American and European formats, including a Britain's Got Talent equivalent which is called New Age. | Iran has experimented with a number of programmes adapted from American and European formats, including a Britain's Got Talent equivalent which is called New Age. |
Reporting by BBC Monitoring's Daniel Amir | Reporting by BBC Monitoring's Daniel Amir |
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