Objective This study aimed to diagnose the policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) and to analyze the programming status of provincial networks across five selected centers.
Method: A quantitative and qualitative content analysis was conducted on one week of 24-hour broadcasts (the third week of January 2024) from the centers of Khorasan Razavi, East Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, Khuzestan, and Gilan.
Results: The majority of the programming schedule was dedicated to main programs, most of which were pre-recorded. Internal productions accounted for a higher share than external or acquired content. Mixed and discussion-based formats constituted the largest portion of the productions, with social and cultural topics, followed by political and security issues, receiving priority. Persian and Turkish dialects, and to some extent Kurdish, were prominently used, whereas areas such as science, technology, and the environment received less attention. In terms of quality, attention to indigenous identity elements -including music, clothing, décor, and visual elements-varied across the centers.
Conclusions: To enhance the performance of provincial networks, it is essential to diversify program formats, strengthen scientific and environmental programming, increase the use of local dialects, and more strategically incorporate elements of indigenous identity into productions.