The BBC has extended its FM presence in Sudan to the country's south by launching two 24-hour a day, seven days a week FM relays in Southern Sudan's capital city, Juba. BBC World Service will broadcast to Juba and surrounding areas in Arabic on 90.0 FM and in English on 88.2 FM.
To mark the launch of the FM relays, BBC World Service will stage special broadcasts from Juba during the week commencing Monday 14 August 2006 for both its English for Africa and its Arabic output.
A considerable part of the BBC's Sudanese audience listens via four FM relays in Northern Sudan ? Khartoum 91.0 FM, Al Ubayyid 91.0 FM, Port Sudan 91.0 FM and Wad Madani 91.5 FM. The two new FM relays in Juba pioneer the BBC's FM presence in the South.
Simon Kendall, Business Development Manager for Africa and Middle East, BBC World Service, said: "We are delighted that audiences in Juba, Southern Sudan can now listen to BBC programmes in crystal clear quality thanks to these two new FM relays.
"The BBC has a very substantial audience in Sudan, and we are very pleased to be able to improve our availability to our listeners in the Juba area." Dr Samson Kwaje, Minister of Information of the Government of Southern Sudan, expressed his happiness that the BBC is now re-broadcasting via FM relays in Juba: "The BBC is very popular in Southern Sudan, and I am confident that better access to the BBC broadcasts will play a positive role in informing our people. The people of Southern Sudan are always interested in international developments, and the BBC has the reputation for excellent coverage of global news. I am also glad that, as part of our agreement, BBC World Service will give training to the staff of the Ministry of Information, sharing its standards of excellent journalism."