| Washington, D.C., Nov. 20, 2000 -- The Voice
of America's Arabic-language Hello America will be broadcast
for the first time tomorrow, Nov. 21, simultaneously on radio, TV, and
the Internet. Hello America, a live, Arabic-language call-in
show reaching more than 20 countries in the Middle East, has been on radio
since its launch on September 12. Tomorrow's Hello America
marks a leap forward in broadening the audience by making the show available
on three different media at the same time.
“Over the last several years, the Voice
of America has been adding more and more simulcast programming to its
broadcast line up,” says VOA Director
Sanford Ungar. “We feel that by placing programming on radio,
television, and the Internet at the same time, we are broadening our audience
and providing news and information to the maximum number of people possible.”
Hello America airs every Tuesday from 1800 to 1900 UTC (1:00
– 2:00 p.m. Washington time). Since its first September broadcast,
the program has received many calls from throughout the Middle East, North
Africa, and the Gulf, including from Egypt, Jordan, Algeria, Syria, Yemen,
Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and the Palestinian territories.
The show focuses on topics of interest to listeners in the region such
as the Middle East peace process, U.S. elections, human rights, immigration,
education, globalization, health and medicine, and American culture.
Tuesday’s broadcast will examine the U.S. presidential elections.
The guests will be Dr. Mamoun Fandy, political science professor at Georgetown
University, and Abdel Rahman Al-Amoudy, Executive Director of the American
Muslim Foundation in Washington.
The show’s TV broadcast will be telecast to viewers over
WORLDNET
Television's satellite network. It will also be streamed live
on the Internet, as well as be available on demand.
Hello America host Mohamed Elshinawi has worked in both radio
and television. He has filed a wide variety of reports, including
coverage of the Middle East Peace process since 1992. He has also
conducted interviews with newsmakers, experts, and officials such as Yassir
Arafat, Shimon Peres, and the Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Syria, Qatar,
Kuwait, and Oman.
The VOA Arabic Service
broadcasts seven hours daily to more than 20 countries in the Middle East
and North Africa. The Voice of America
broadcasts world, regional, and U.S. news in 53 language to an estimated
91 million people each week. WORLDNET Television
provides news and public affairs reports, programs that reflect American
life, and discussions on United States foreign and domestic policies on
seven satellites, 24-hours-a-day, seven- days-a-week, to a worldwide audience
through broadcast outlets, cable systems, and direct-to-home satellite
receivers.
Contact: George Mackenzie
Phone: (202) 619-2538 |
