VOA Partners with Pakistan Radio Network

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Voice of America and Pakistan's Radio News Network (RNN) are teaming up on a new hour-long radio program that focuses on current events and social issues in both countries.

The weekly co-production Sada e Jahan (Voice of the World) airs on RNN's FM stations located throughout Pakistan on Sundays at 2 a.m. and 6 p.m. local time. The debut episode will hit the airwaves this Sunday, Dec. 22.

The program opens with analysis of the latest news, and features reports produced by VOA in Washington and RNN in Islamabad on social issues, health, and lifestyle. Each show includes three to four segments produced by VOA and three to four produced by RNN.

"This is a true co-production in every sense of the word," said VOA Urdu co-host Sarah Zaman. "By combining reporting from the U.S. and Pakistan, we're giving our audience different perspectives on issues that matter most to them." Zaman is joined by co-host Nighat Aman in Islamabad.

"We are pleased to partner with RNN on this program," says VOA Urdu Service Chief Faiz Rehman, "and we look forward to working more with them in the future."

Zaman said the show's lineup is designed to present listeners with complementary reports on similar topics and trends in the U.S. and Pakistan. The first episode of Sada e Jahan includes a segment on the revival of the Pakistani film industry (produced by RNN) and interviews with Pakistani filmmakers visiting the United States (produced by VOA).

Along with the two Sunday broadcasts, RNN re-airs the program at 11 a.m. the following Monday. VOA carries Sada e Jahan on its own medium wave frequency every Sunday at 2 a.m. Pakistan time.

Radio News Network is an independent radio news provider and one of the country's leading broadcast news agencies, with FM stations in Islamabad, Abbottabad (northeastern Pakistan) and Vehari (southern Punjab).

This marks the second time VOA Urdu has joined forces with an FM radio network in Pakistan. This July, the Voice of America and Sunrise FM 97 in Islamabad launched the co-production Atif with Sunrise, an entertainment program. With the addition of RNN, VOA Urdu now has four radio and five television affiliates in Pakistan.

 

(VOA Press Release)