Category: World Service
Date: 22.06.2005
Printable version
The BBC has increased its presence in the Middle East with an important new partnership.
Listeners in Beirut and throughout Lebanon can now hear the BBC Arabic Service for two hours every day on the Voice of Lebanon 93.3 FM.
Starting today, 22 June 2005, listeners will be able to enjoy BBC Arabic's flagship news programme Al alam hatha al sabah - The World This Morning - which sets the day's agenda every morning, Monday to Sunday at 06.00 local time.
Hadeeth Al-Sa'a is the daily programme analysing and discussing key stories in the news at 15.00 and Nuqtat Hewar - Talking Point - enables listeners to share their political, social and sporting views at 18.00.
Visitors to bbcarabic.com can also listen to and participate in Nuqtat Hewar online.
Hosam El Sokkari, Head of BBC Arabic, said: "Our partnership with Voice of Lebanon is an important addition to the BBC's presence in the Arab world.
"I hope the availability of BBC programmes, in Arabic, in crystal clear quality, will further expand our listener base in this region."
Sheikh Simon El-Khazen, CEO of the Voice of Lebanon, added: "Broadcasting BBC programming in Arabic and English represents an important phase in the growth and development of the Voice of Lebanon.
"The BBC will complement our already rich source of programming by bringing a wider international news perspective which is valuable in a fast-changing world."
BBC Arabic programming on the Voice of Lebanon 93.3 FM is the latest development in the BBC's strategy to increase partnerships in the Arab world.
The BBC Arabic service has 12.5 million listeners in the Middle East and North Africa and can currently be heard on FM in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Palestinian Territories / West Bank and Sudan.
Notes to Editors
BBC Arabic is the leading international radio news service in Arabic and bbcarabic.com is the leading Arabic online news site.
BBC Arabic broadcasts 24 hours a day, every day, with news on the hour, every hour.
BBC Arabic broadcasts to the whole Arab world on short wave and through digital audio channels on the principal satellites covering the Arab world.
In most of the eastern Arab world, BBC broadcasts are heard on medium wave, and in key cities the BBC is available on FM.
The award-winning site bbcarabic.com receives over 12 million page impressions a month and carries a live audio feed of BBC Arabic radio.
Voice of Lebanon was founded in 1975 and is the first commercial radio station to broadcast in Lebanon.
News, politics, educational, cultural and entertainment programmes are broadcast on 93.4 FM in Bekaa and 93.6 FM in Southern and Northern Lebanon.
Programmes are also re-broadcast through partner stations in Australia, Canada and France.
BBC World Service broadcasts programmes around the world in 43 languages and is available on radio and online.
It has a global audience of 149 million listeners and is available throughout the world on short wave and FM. Selected programmes are carried on around 2,000 FM and MW radio stations around the world.
The BBC World Service websites receive around 280 million page impressions every month.
