98.5 FM: Farah al Nas 

Live on air: from the heart to your home...
With its unique combination of news and programs that focus on the real life issues that face the people in their daily lives, Farah al Nas aims to be 'the voice of thepeople.

 
Reaching out to the people of  Amman and Zarqa, and broadcasting in Arabic on 98,5FM, Radio Farah al Nas officially went live at 6.30pm on Tuesday July 29th with an interview with HRH Princess Basma bint Talal.

Welcoming listeners to this unique station, Princess Basma urged the audience to treat this as their station, stating:

 "We hope Farah al Nas becomes the people's radio, where they can express their concerns and contribute their opinions".  

She also emphasised the importance that women and youth play in the radio station, both as listeners and as contributors: 

"We want to represent diversity of opinion, and give a balanced and constructive  set of views. Farah al Nas is all about responsible dialogue".

HRH Princess Basma explained the vision and values of the radio station, and the important role of the voice of the people in creating their own futures and in helping the Kingdom reach its full potential.

Farah al Nas is jointly owned by the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) and the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD) and received initial support from the international media development NGO, INTERNEWS. All three share a common vision: to empower people with the news and information they need to make better choices, to connect with others, and to make their voice heard. 

On the airwaves: The sky is the limit

Access to news is at the heart of the democratic society that everyone in Jordan seeks. His Majesty King Abdulla's vision for Jordanian press freedom "The sky is the limit", and the release of some 45 radio and TV station licenses ensures that listeners now have a choice of channels. Alone among the private sector and NGO-run radio channels, Farah al Nas is the only onel that has the right to broadcast news. The Farah al Nas team are committed to exercise this right responsibly, and to present news that is balanced, independent and that promotes a positive future for the people of Jordan. It's an exciting challenge that they greet with enthusiasm

Up to-date information

Farah al Nas draws on the in-depth experience and understanding of JNCW and JOHUD to ensure that its programs meet the real information needs of the audience, with a special focus on women and young people.  Farah al Nas is a community-based radio, reaching out into the homes of the audience, providing people with up to date information about what is going on, where the jobs are, what kind of services are available to them, who is active in their community, what kind of projects are being launched, and where to go to find more information.  

Messages for better choices

Information is power - and Farah al Nas helps make sure all the people  know what's going on. Jordan is developing socially, politically and economically at a fast pace, and  the government wants to keep people informed about their programs and services. Through Farah al Nas, they can get their message across:

The Ministry of  Labor can tell job seekers about employment opportunities

Tthe Ministry of Health can inform people about primary health care centres, and can raise awareness about nutrition and preventive medicine so that mothers can look after their family health better.

Water is a critical issue in Jordan , so through radio Farah al Nas, the Ministry of Water can get their message across; don't waste a drop.

When the government changes regulations, it can make sure that clients arrive with right paperwork: that saves time for the government administrators, and it means claimants don't make a wasted journey. With better information everyone wins.

Beamed direct into homes, the workplace, taxis, and car radios, community-based Farah al Nas is the fastest, easiest and least expensive way to get your message across.

Responsible funding

The radio station aims to be self sufficient - raising revenue from private sector sponsors who also want to get their message across.  Farah al Nas  welcomes sponsors whose  product and promotions match the  positive vision and values of the community and the radio station. Farah al Nas promotes corporate social responsibility, working with the business sector to make Jordan socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable. Through Farah al Nas Jordan is a better place for everyone to share

Radio for action

Radio Farah al Nas is not just about providing information - it's also about encouraging action: Farah al Nas urges the community to get active, to get involved. Through Farah al Nas, JNCW and JOHUD can connect people to volunteer activities, and mobilize people to work together  to solve local problems.

JNCW and JOHUD's unique  strength lies in their well-established  grassroots support, with tens of thousands of volunteers networked across the whole kingdom. Through Farah al Nas, they will connect to others. Radio is a vital channel of communication to bring up-to-date information, and to get message across.

Diverse voices, one community

Farah al Nas is a community based radio that celebrates and respects diversity within the community - and makes  sure that, some time during the day, each group feels that there is program that speaks to them directly. That means specialized programs targeting young mothers, senior citizens, taxi drivers, workers in factories, displaced Iraqis and other minority groups. 

Local programs local voices

Community based radio also involves the people in making their own programs.  Already, with the support from Farah al Nas professionals, young people from Marqa have been learning the skills of news reporting. Now they will have their own news slot: they select the items that interest them, they do their own reporting, they present the stories and give it their own slant: youth speak to youth (and adults should shut up and listen for a change).   

 
The radio station also draws on the expertise of youth from the Princess Basma Youth Resource Centre (PBYRC)  who were trained by INTERNEWS in the skills of radio journalism and radio production under a grant from the US Department of State's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. Under the Autostrad Radio Production label, they  will bring their dynamism and dedication to the channel with regular youth-reatked programs.  Hopefully, inspired by these young radio journalists,  other groups  will come forward to present their window on the world.  

We don't just talk, we listen.

Farah al Nas is a two-way channel. It takes its messages to the people, and then it encourages them to talk back.  Listeners can call in by phone, by e-mail, by letter, and by meeting the roving reporters out and about in the community.  Over the next few months, Farah al Nas will be out and about, meeting their audience, getting feedback - finding out more about: your voice, your choice.

Tune in 98.5 FM: Farah al Nas,

straight from the heart.