Bowling Green, Ky. - Yarmouk FM commences broadcasting on Sept. 17.

Yarmouk FM is a collaborative effort between Yarmouk University and the International Journalism and Media Management Training (IJMMT) program at Western Kentucky University.  The IJMMT is a partnership between Internews Network and WKU.

Yarmouk FM, 105.7, originates from the campus of Yarmouk University in Irbid, Jordan, and is designed to provide a local news and information service to north Jordan.  Yarmouk students and faculty will operate the radio station to serve the local community and to improve the quality of broadcast journalism graduates in Jordan.  The radio station is under the supervision of Yarmouk University’s Faculty of Arts that houses the Journalism sand Mass Communications Department.  

Jerry Barnaby, IJMMT program manager, just returned from Jordan after a month-long ramp up to the initial broadcast that included the formation of the station management team and selection of student-produced local programs. 

The Sunday launch will be followed in early November by a ceremonial sign-on.  Future training will include U.S.-based sessions in technical operations and radio advertising for the Yarmouk FM staff and curriculum development with the Yarmouk faculty.  WKU faculty and staff serve as trainers and consultants for the U.S.-based training and for the work in Jordan.

Yarmouk University was founded in 1976 by a royal decree.  The journalism program was launched four years later and offers three specializations: Radio and Television, Newspaper Editing, and Public Relations and Advertising.  Yarmouk is the second largest public university in Jordan and has the largest communications program of the public universities.

Internews Network trains media professionals in emerging democracies, serving more than 32,000 individuals worldwide. Additionally, Internews has provided pioneering initiatives in media management education, media law and advocacy, and professional association and network building.

WKU’s Public Broadcasting Service is a modern professional facility that has garnered an array of prestigious awards. The university operates a four-station public radio network affiliated with National Public Radio, a PBS-affiliated public television station, and a student radio station. The professional facilities of the university, including the broadcast stations, will serve as training laboratories for the IJMMT.

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

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 more information, contact Jerry Barnaby, 1-800-599-2424, or email ijmmt@wku.edu.

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