Voice of Iraq

Voice of Iraq
إذاعة صوت العراق
Programming
Language(s)Arabic, Iraqi Turkish
FormatNews, current affairs and music
AffiliationsInternational Agency for Free Media
History
First air date
August 27, 2003; 21 years ago (2003-08-27)
Links
Websitewww.voiraq.com

The Voice of Iraq (Arabic: إذاعة صوت العراق lit: Idha'atu Sawt Il-Iraq) is a privately owned radio station in Iraq that has broadcast since August 27, 2003.[1] It broadcasts in Arabic, Iraqi Turkish and English on 1179 kHz medium wave in Baghdad and nearby towns including Ba'qubah and Fallujah to an area with 12 million inhabitants.[2] Voice of Iraq is supervised by the International Agency for Free Media, which is a media institution that was active abroad during the Saddam Hussein regime and covered Iraqi news via the Internet.[3][4]

Editorial policy

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The editorial policy of the Voice of Iraq is supportive of national unity, on the basis that Arabs, Kurds and Turkomans, Assyrians should have equal rights.[5][6] Programmes include news reports and panel discussions of current affairs, combined with Shi'a religious and patriotic songs.[7][8]

Other radio stations of the same name

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Prior to the formation of "Voice of Iraq" in 2003, the name had been used previously by several radio stations including an English language FM station owned by Uday Hussein.[9] There were also an Egyptian Government funded radio station that operated between 1958 and 1959, which advocated pan-Arabism and supported Abdul Karim Qassim.[10] In addition there was another radio station that operated in 1959 that was a black propaganda effort that mimicked the pro-Qassim station but attacked his government and was widely considered to be U.S. funded.[11]

The Voice of Iraq radio station should also not be confused with the independent daily Iraqi newspaper with the similar name Sawt al-Iraq (Voice of Iraq) which launched in 2002.[12][13]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Country profile: Iraq BBC News
  2. ^ TBS Journal
  3. ^ Middle East Media Guide
  4. ^ Station idents from interval signals
  5. ^ Radio Netherlands report on the Voice of Iraq launch
  6. ^ Clandestine Radio
  7. ^ Radio News in January 2005
  8. ^ Turkish Daily News
  9. ^ Iraq annual Report 2002 Reporters Without Borders
  10. ^ "Clandestine Radio - Egyptian funded station". Archived from the original on 2006-09-06. Retrieved 2006-09-05.
  11. ^ "Clandestine Radio - Possible U.S. funded station". Archived from the original on 2006-09-06. Retrieved 2006-09-05.
  12. ^ Voice of Iraq Newspaper: http://www.sotaliraq.com
  13. ^ "The online daily Sotaliraq" cited by BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5002000.stm
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