In Jordan
March 01, 2007
Bowling
Green, Ky. - Kevin Willis, assistant news director of Western Kentucky University’s Public Radio, is traveling to Jordan to conduct a training session with the staff and students of Yarmouk FM.
The March 10-19 session is part of an ongoing effort by WKU to help strengthen the capacity of local journalists to report on issues of interest and importance.
Yarmouk University and the International Journalism and Media Management Training (IJMMT) program at WKU built Yarmouk FM, the first-ever student-oriented radio station in Jordan, to give students hands-on experience in journalism. The IJMMT is a partnership between WKU and Internews Network.
Broadcasting from the campus located in Irbid in northern Jordan, the station commenced broadcasting on Sept. 17, 2006. A national dedication ceremony took place on Feb. 18.
During the visit, Willis will work with the professional staff, students and faculty in developing new programming through local production. Currently Yarmouk FM broadcasts a mix of news, information, and music programs. As the service expands, new long-form and call-in style programs are planned.
Willis also will meet with AutoStrad, a social-orientated radio production unit funded by the IJMMT. The work with the AutoStrad team will focus on developing new production streams that will air on radio stations in Jordan (www.autostradradio.net).
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.
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 information about the IJMMT is available online at http://www.wku.edu/ijmmt/ or by emailing ijmmt@wku.edu.
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.
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