Once the undisputed king of Persian-language satellite television, Manoto TV captivated millions of Iranians with its glossy, Western-style entertainment and controversial historical documentaries. After a dramatic shutdown in early 2024 due to financial collapse, the network has made a modest return, broadcasting free-to-air into Iran via satellite while relying on YouTube subscriptions from the diaspora. But with a fraction of its former budget and talent, Manoto now faces a profound identity crisis, forcing observers to ask: is this a sustainable comeback or the final, fading echo of a medi