If we want to summarize the history of Iranian television after 1357 in one sentence, we can write: A huge cultural and artistic gap between the reality of society and the programs produced. A gap that was mostly evident between the years 68 to 78. The atmosphere of revolutionary society and the subsequent eight-year war had made this gap seem imperceptible until 68.

The introduction of video devices in the late 1960s and the subsequent import of satellites in the early 1970s, which made it possible to receive multiple Turkish, Arabic, and English channels, was the initial spark for this gap and the beginning of Persian-language networks in small studios with basic facilities, marking the end of this policy. Furthermore, a considerable percentage of society had become aware that they were watching lies.

The addition of a sports network called “Network 3” and a semi-official network called “Network 4”, which aimed to bring order to the selected cultural events, did not even reach the attention of the national broadcasting organization. Even the local networks were unable to bear the burden of the national broadcasting organization’s downfall. The national broadcasting organization had become an entity that, with billions of dollars in budget, symbolized the failure of the cultural policies of the Islamic Republic.

Perhaps one of the sparks that started the system known as home entertainment was the successful sale of the “Escape from Prison” series in the late 1980s. After that, producers who had conflicts with the radio and television over financial or auditing issues preferred to release their series and productions into the free market. Through a few meetings and behind-the-scenes cultural policies, and of course with the approval of high-ranking officials, the auditing of the Ministry of Culture and relevant authorities decided to deal with the productions of the home entertainment network with more leniency. A leniency that, at the beginning, was evident in the stark differences in dialogue, actors’ performances, and storylines. The dialogue of the home entertainment network was becoming more and more similar to real street language. From simple inquiries to verbal jokes, everything was changing; a change that did not escape the sharp eyes of the audience.

The type of coverage of the actors, from the color scheme of their clothes to the fashion, was very similar to the reality of society, and perhaps this was what touched the subconscious of the audience and made the story more believable.

The subject and even the plot of the story were also among those flashy topics that could not be understood until the end of the fifth part. Perhaps the best example for these three cases is one of the first productions of the home entertainment network called “Frozen Heart”.

In the second part of this text, it is necessary to pay more attention to the two important economic aspects of the home entertainment network, regardless of its cultural and artistic aspect. The fact that most producers of works in the home entertainment network claim that we do not have copyright and are causing damage is a strange and big lie.

We all know very well that just a few hours after the release of movies and TV series on the home network, you can download the work for free through Telegram and WhatsApp channels. According to reliable statistics, more than eighty percent of people watch their favorite programs through free downloads. So how does a twenty-episode series with an eight billion contract for actors and an approximate production cost of two billion make its income? The simple and predictable answer: sponsors!

Sponsors who, in addition to paying the rental fees for city billboards – which are considered part of the government’s income from the home display network – are willing to pay up to five billion tomans for each billboard for the logo of a brand, and separate payments in the billions for registering the logo at the beginning and end of each media product. These are brands that are tired of relying on the credibility of the radio and television and are looking for a more reliable and closer place to reach their audience.

However, the home entertainment network was also a source of income for a number of other artistic factors, including actors, directors, and producers, who could be referred to as “outcasts”. These are individuals who have been targeted by the government and judicial system due to their words, actions, or even a simple Instagram story.

We are all more or less familiar with the term “no photography”. An artist who would act in a film or series and had to live for months or even years with the income from it. An artist who had no insurance or future security. An artist who, due to their social status, could not earn income through many other means. I could write these sentences for hours and talk about the pain of a certain segment of society, who unfortunately have been unfairly judged and evaluated based on the lifestyles of a few celebrities. Artists who, after years of effort in the field of art, are still renters and, considering the overall inflation rate in society, are also under pressure and hardship. These marginalized and angry victims of the media, with the economic growth and prosperity of the home entertainment network, had a second chance. Many of them went back in front of the camera after years; not to satisfy a thirst for being seen and fulfill their hopes and dreams, but to make a living and survive.

It has been a few weeks since the news of becoming a government and being placed under the umbrella of the national broadcasting network, the dream of the artist and the worried audience is gone. An artist who is banned from filming in cinema and television, who sees the last course of “independent artist” in silence and destruction, and an anxious audience who nurtures the nightmare of turning the home entertainment network into another national broadcasting network.

Of course, we can move on from the second issue! Even the audience can come to terms with this situation; especially in an era where the possibility of substitution is available through virtual space and extensive satellite networks. But the “independent artist” remains in a dark dead end; caught between the pain of speaking and the pain of remaining silent, each with its own consequences. If you don’t speak, you burn from within and if you do, you face backlash from the outside.

From the exclusive import of cars to the monopoly of production and import of cigarettes, wherever there is a smell of abundant income, the Islamic Republic is involved. This is done either directly or through the principle of privatization, which is a form of government in disguise. After widespread failures in implementing Article 44 of the Constitution (privatization), the Islamic Republic has now turned to reverse engineering privatization. An event that will blind the eyes of all artists. When the official newspaper of the Islamic Republic, Seda va Sima, introduced hijab and alcohol consumption in home TV series, we knew that there were sinister plans to behead this newborn child. Once again, the foolish ideas of the 90s emerge from under the rubble and the sword of censorship strikes a blow to the half-life of art and independent artists.

In the midst of this, the independent artist or patriot shines and endures difficult circumstances in a foreign home or becomes a recluse, seeing only their own choice in a chaotic time.