Photo By 1st Sgt. Brent Williams | Ali al-Shati, director of programming for the al-Jamaheer Radio Station, cues audio...... read more read more
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FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq — Soldiers of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division—Baghdad, joined local community leaders to officially recognize the opening of a new public information radio station Feb. 18, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad.
The Al-Jamaheer Radio Station, collocated with the Rashid District Council Hall in the Doura community, is an important achievement for the district leadership and benefits Iraqis citizens of southern Baghdad, said Hashem Mahmood Dahash, deputy chairman of the Rashid DC.
"We know the needs of the people. It is important for our people ... this Al-Jamaheer Radio Station is important to educate the people."
The local leadership held the commemoration to draw attention to the Rashid DC Hall's newest addition and inform citizens of Rashid of the new radio programming, said Maj. Felix Acosta, governance officer, working with the 1st BCT's Embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team.
The public information radio station is controlled and operated by the Rashid DC to provide listeners information about local government initiatives and opportunities within the local communities in southern Baghdad, said Acosta, a civil affairs officer, assigned to the 404th Civil Affairs Battalion.
"This radio station exists to spread the news as far as reconstruction efforts, civic events and political objectives being sought to meet the needs of the people of Rashid," said Acosta, who hails from Philadelphia.
Based on the success of the programming, the station could be picked up by local media organizations for greater funding and a larger audience, he said.
The radio station became a project in late August of 2008 with a request by DC leaders to help restore a sense of normalcy by providing public information to the approximately 1.6 million people of Rashid.
The radio station's staff works hand-in-hand with the Rashid DC media committee to conduct interviews with various community and business leaders and advisors and provides the Iraqi people a medium to contact their representatives and share their views.
"The public has to be aware of all the efforts going on in the Rashid district," Acosta said. "The people out there are out there doing their job, but unless that plan is shared with the people, they think that no one is trying to work on their behalf or there is no plan."
Acosta, working with the leadership of the 1BCT's EPRT, used micro-purchase funds provided by the Department of State and Soldiers from the 1st STB to install the antennae and upgrade the capacity of the radio station, which started out with a 50-watt transmitter that was later upgraded to 1,000-watts.
The "politically neutral" station also offers a variety of programs to engage the people and build the culture, which will eventually foster the development and expansion of the independent radio station, said Acosta.
There is always potential for the independent radio station to grow in size and capacity; since the inception of the project the station's capacity has already grown 20-fold with the new transmitter capable of broadcasting to the outer reaches of the Rashid district.
"It builds hope for the future, provides information to get health and medical treatment, or educational opportunities," he said. "This radio station is a necessity for the future and encourages leaders to find initiatives for their communities."
The Rashid DC Chairmen promoted the radio station with the help from their neighborhood councils and chose the DC Hall for the location of the station for security purposes, said Saad al-Shamari, technical manager of the radio station.
Al-Jamaheer Radio Station runs from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. daily offering education, music, entertainment, religion and open-talk forums and programs for the residents of southern Baghdad.
During the open discussion forum, listeners have the ability to call into the radio station and ask questions of their local leaders and community representatives, explained Saad.
The station, which started out receiving five or six calls a day, now averages 40 to 60 calls daily from local residents, who are happy to hear that a radio station is operating in southern Baghdad.
"If we succeed in our job in the radio, the listeners feel happy; then I can ensure that this radio station will be successful," said Saad, who has experience working as a presenter for Iraq's "Voice of the Public" radio program in 1985.
Working for the director of programming and supervising correspondents and broadcasters, Saad said he hopes to expand the hours of operation for the station and its capacity as power generation in southern Baghdad improves.
| Date Taken: | 02.18.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 02.19.2009 13:36 |
| Story ID: | 30203 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 265 |
| Downloads: | 242 |
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