VOA Director Inaugurates New Affiliate in Dacca
Classical Guitarist Berta Rojas to Perform in VOA's Noontime Concert Series
VOA Director Decries Arrest of Journalist in Zimbabwe
El Salvador's Vice President Appears on VOA's Hablemos con Washington from Central America
Middle East Radio Network Adds News to Programming
Washington, D.C., April 5, 2002 – The Middle East Radio Network (MERN), known as Radio Sawa in the region, has added news to its programming mix in the first stages of its 24-hour, seven-day-a-week service.
The Arabic-language network, which went on the air March 22, 2002, is currently heard on FM radio stations in Amman, Jordan (FM 98.1), and Kuwait City, Kuwait (FM 95.7). It is also available on Nilesat, Arabsat and Eutelsat Hotbird.
Besides regular news headlines and five-minute news summaries, Radio Sawa does special programs such as broadcasting, in Arabic, President Bush’s 18-minute speech on the Middle East. Bush announced Thursday that Secretary of State Colin Powell would go to the region next week.
"We’re committed to news that is accurate, objective and comprehensive," said Norman J. Pattiz, a member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) which oversees all U.S., non-military, international broadcasting.
Pattiz and the BBG spearheaded the creation of MERN, a pilot project of the Voice of America.
When MERN is fully operational in late summer 2002, it will broadcast news, analysis, interviews, opinion pieces, roundtables, sports, weather, music and features on a variety of political and social issues in five regional Arabic dialects targeted to Jordan and the Palestinian areas, Egypt, Iraq, Sudan and the Gulf states.
The BBG received from Congress approximately $35 million for MERN in fiscal year 2002, including $16.4 million for one-time capital costs for transmitters.
For more information, contact:
| Joan
Mower
202.260.0167 |
Joe
O'Connell
202.619.2538 |