According to a survey by the opinion research institute Gamaan, only 21% of the population in Iran consume state television. It is nothing new that many Iranians tend to take a critical view of the media in their own country. It is true that the state broadcaster IRIB, short for Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, has a name reminiscent of the British BBC. However, most people in the country realise that the IRIB management is appointed directly by the "Supreme Leader" Ali Khamenei and that the broadcaster is nothing more than a propaganda apparatus.
The ultra-religious views shown here have very little to do with life on the Iranian streets. This is probably the reason for the comparatively low viewing figures. If you add to this the fact that the state media not only broadcasts news but also entertainment programmes, you could even assume that the proportion of people who get their political information from state television is even lower.
Meanwhile, recent surveys show that more than half of Iranians now watch exile television channels and international TV programmes that can be received via satellite. In Iran, installing your own satellite dish has been illegal for years and the authorities impose fines. However, most Iranian households accept this risk. I know families whose homes have been searched several times - and the police have confiscated their satellite receiver or the satellite dish. In the end, however, families simply went out and bought and reinstalled a new device the next day.
Source: Gamaan