WKU And Internews Radio Project Nears Completion

May 13, 2008

Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University’s partners in Amman, Jordan, commenced a test broadcast of a new community radio station,  Farah el Nas FM (The Joy of People), on May 8. The radio station is scheduled to sign on officially after completing the technical test period. The radio station is part of the on-going efforts of WKU’s International Journalism and Media Management Training (IJMMT) program. 
           
The IJMMT interconnects WKU’s Public Broadcasting, the School of Journalism & Broadcasting, and Internews Network, an international non-profit organization that supports open media worldwide (www.internews.org).  WKU and Internews have previously trained broadcast and print journalists, editors and managers from Indonesia, Cambodia and Egypt.
           
The IJMMT and the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD) are collaborating to build the community radio station in Jordan.  Internews Network is working directly with JOHUD on building and operating the radio station. WKU provided equipment and technical training that included the March 2008 session for members of the radio station staff.
           
Since July of 2001, the IJMMT has been a unique international exchange for working journalists and media managers engaging in an intensive program of journalism study and internships.  The IJMMT program offers a combination of strong US-based and in-country training components. Follow-up work in the partner countries fosters effective advocacy and continuing education for the larger media communities.
           
WKU’s department of Educational Telecommunications manages the IJMMT.  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. 

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