US-Funded Alhurra Television Wins Over Viewers In Iraq

SPACEMART

Of those people who watch Alhurra, 64 percent found the news to be 'very' or 'somewhat' reliable. The results are based on face-to-face interviews with adults (over the age of 15) in Iraq between May 19 and June 14, 2004, four months after Alhurra first aired.

Springfield VA (SPX) Jul 20, 2004
A new survey of Iraq conducted by Oxford Research International shows that 61 percent of Iraqi adults had watched the new US-funded Arabic language TV channel Alhurra (Arabic for "The Free One") in the previous week. Since it launched on February 14, 2004, Alhurra has quickly established itself as an important resource for Iraqis to get their news - 19 percent of those surveyed cited Alhurra as one of their top three sources of information.

Alhurra is the latest and most technologically advanced television organization to enter the crowded Middle East satellite television market. The satellite channel is a 24-hour news and information network broadcast entirely in Arabic. It can be seen in 22 countries throughout the region via Arabsat and Nilesat, the same satellite systems used by all major Arabic channels.

In April 2004, a second channel was added called Alhurra Iraq specifically for Iraqi audiences. The new channel was available by satellite during the time of the survey.

It has subsequently started broadcasting with a clear signal in Baghdad on Channel 12 and in Basra on Channel 3. Additional terrestrial channels are expected in the near future.

Along with in-depth news from Alhurra, Alhurra Iraq provides nightly newscasts and talk shows specifically dealing with the issues facing contemporary Iraq.

"We always knew that it was critical that we reach out to Iraq. As the country begins rebuilding its government, it's important to provide the citizens with objective, accurate and balanced reporting of the news within their country and around the world," stated Norman J. Pattiz, Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governor's Middle East Committee.

"Even though we had early indications of Alhurra's success, the fact that 61 percent of Iraqis are watching the network after being on the air for several months is extremely encouraging. There was never a question that people would watch Alhurra, but no one could have predicted this many, this quickly."

The Oxford survey covered all of Iraq with a total sample of 2,912 adults. Oxford Research International provides a unique research facility in the transition economies of Central and Eastern Europe, the CIS, Central Asia, China, South East Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

The firm was founded in 1995 by a group of analysts who received their training at the doctoral level at the University of Oxford.

An earlier telephone survey of satellite television viewers in major cities of the Middle East conducted in April by the French research firm Ipsos-Stat showed that a range of 18 percent to 44 percent of adults (15+) who live in houses with telephone and satellite dishes in seven Middle Eastern countries had watched Alhurra in the previous week.

The surveys were conducted in Lebanon (Beirut), Syria (Damascus, & Aleppo), United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi and Dubai), Egypt (Cairo and Alexandria), Kuwait (Kuwait City), Jordan (Amman, Irbid and Zarka) and Saudi Arabia (Riyadh and Jeddah) in early April.

Past week viewing in Lebanon was 40 percent; Syria 29 percent; UAE 19 percent; Egypt 18 percent; Kuwait 44 percent; Jordan 37 percent and Saudi Arabia 19 percent.

Of those who said they had watched Alhurra, 53 percent of Alhurra viewers consider its news 'very' or 'somewhat' reliable. Reliability figures were 70 percent for Saudi Arabia; 54 percent for Lebanon; 40 percent for Egypt; 44 percent for Jordan; 61 percent for Kuwait; 65 percent for UAE and 37 percent for Syria.

Alhurra and Alhurra Iraq are operated by a non-profit corporation called "The Middle East Television Network" (MTN). MTN is financed by the American people through the US Congress.

MTN receives this funding through the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), an independent federal agency that oversees all US international broadcasting. The BBG serves as a firewall to protect the professional independence and integrity of the broadcasters.

SPACEMART

Island Cruises Sets Sail With Cell Phone Service

Redmond WA (SPX) Jul 16, 2004
Passengers of Island Cruises can now enjoy the convenience of talking and texting on their wireless phones anywhere their cruise ship takes them in international waters.

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