BROADCASTERS DEBATE ARABIC TV NETWORK

[Sadoun]

10.12.02: Leaders of the federal agency behind Voice of America and other U.S.-sponsored international broadcasts met on October 8 in Los Angeles with entertainment and television executives to enlist their insight and help in launching an Arabic-language TV network to counter Al Jazeera, the Middle East's only current source of 24-hour news.

The Broadcasting Board of Governors plans to further detail its strategy on the success of its music-driven Middle East Radio Network, also known as Radio Sawa. Since its launch in March, the 24-hour Arabic-language broadcast has drawn large audiences by targeting listeners under age 30 with Western and Arabic pop music and news. At the October 8 meeting, BBG board members and the service chiefs of Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia and other broadcasts pitched their TV strategy to executives from Paramount, NBC, FX, Fox TV, CAA, WMA and independent producers.