Towards Codification of a Desired Model for Religious Programs of Iranian TV

With the advent and development of new media, numerous religious sciences researchers and experts as well as social sciences and communication thinkers focused on what the relationship between religion and media is and how these two interact and interconnect with each other. For that reason, this paper is looking for a response to the question as to how ethics and religious values can be observed in the media and religion propagated candidly. This study scrutinizes the attitudes of communication professors and religious experts of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) on the mechanism of the presence of religion in the IRIB and characteristics of a desirable religious television program with the aim of identifying the points of difference and similarity of the viewpoints of these two groups. Theories on religion and media, previous research works and literature review have served as the basis for making the research statements. This research has been conducted by using Q methodology and presenting a 68- statement questionnaire to 30 respondents including 15 communication professors and senior TV religious experts. The findings of this research indicate a high similarity of views between the two groups on the presence of religious advisors and an organized planning for making religious programs. On the other hand, according to the findings, one of the most important fields of dispute between the respondents is the mechanism of presence. Both groups of the clergy and professors share the identical views that television can be a suitable means for propagating religion. However, what these two groups differ on is propagation of religion through ideological TV and by experts and missionaries who are from among famous political figures. The desirable model for TV religious programs will be presented separately in the four fields of mechanism of presence of religion in the Iranian TV, and the content, presentation and execution fields.