Bowling Green, Ky. - The International Journalism and Media Management Training (IJMMT) program at Western Kentucky University has begun work on building a community radio station and creating a radio production unit to focus on developmental and community issues in Jordan.

WKU and Internews Network formed the IJMMT program to strengthen the capacity of local journalism to report on issues of interest and importance.

Yarmouk FM is tentatively scheduled to sign on in August 2006 as the first-ever community radio station run by the students of Yarmouk University’s Journalism and Mass Communications department. Located in Irbid in northern Jordan, Yarmouk FM will serve the surrounding area with news and information programs produced and managed by the student staff.

The IJMMT program provides equipment and training for a broadcast radio station and radio newsroom. The award-winning staff of Western Kentucky University’s Public Radio will provide guidance in managing Yarmouk FM.

Nationally recognized faculty of WKU’s School of Journalism and Broadcasting will work with a team of Yarmouk faculty to design a new course that will manage Yarmouk FM. This course will enable Yarmouk faculty and students to pursue a high level of journalism and media management that will make Yarmouk FM a one-of-a-kind service to the people of Jordan.

Internews Network and Yarmouk University signed a Memorandum of Understanding on March 1 to launch the initiatives.

The IJMMT program also is partnering with the Princess Basma Youth Resource Center in Amman, Jordan, to create a radio production unit to produce programs dealing with community issues. The unit’s five new staff members will receive training with Western’s Public Radio in Bowling Green and in Jordan.

The IJMMT will provide the equipment and training necessary to produce the program and market it to the growing number of independent radio stations in Jordan. Training sessions and workshops will take place at key intervals to share the expertise developed by the IJMMT program.

This 18-month program is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor with support from Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Sen. McConnell recognized the collaborative possibilities of WKU and Internews and was instrumental in bringing the partners together and in the continuing support for this program.

Jerry Barnaby serves as the WKU Program Manager collaborating with Nadia Alami, Regional Director, Middle East and North Africa for Internews Network.

Information about each partner is available online at www.internews.org and www.wkyu.org/ijmmt.

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Jerry Barnaby at 1-800-599-2424.