BBC Arabic launches two radio programmes for the Gulf and North Africa

The thirty minute interactive current affairs programmes will feature a wide range of stories that matter to local people as well as drawing on the BBC’s unrivalled global news resources.

Correspondents based in the regions will present news, business, sports and specially commissioned features. The programmes will also create a platform for debate, reflect a wide range of opinion and engage with audiences on social media platforms. Conversation in the studio will feature trending topics, live regional newspaper reviews and a short news bulletin. 

Listeners can expect to hear local voices, music and the diverse cultures of the Gulf and North Africa in a quick-paced, lively and engaging presentation style. 

Adel Soliman, Radio Editor for BBC Arabic, says: “The new programmes will provide an excellent space to serve our audience in these two under-reported areas. The programmes will create a platform for younger people to debate the local issues that matter to them and resonate with the rest of the region.

"We will also focus on reflecting the rich and diverse cultures of North Africa and the Gulf to the entire region through original reportage and giving a voice to a wide spectrum of people on the web and on air. This is an exciting and valuable addition to Arabic Radio and its audience in the region and beyond.”  

These programmes will be broadcast at the following times and can be listened to via the BBC Arabic site as a live stream, via BBC iplayer radio, or via FM relays:

• The Gulf This Morning ( الخليج هذا الصب) - Monday and Wednesday 0430 GMT
• Maghareb Today (جولة_مغاربية) - Tuesday and Thursday 0630 GMT

MF/WS

Notes for Editors

• BBC Arabic delivers a broad range of impartial and original news and information content for Arab speakers all over the world 24 hours a day 7 days a week on radio, TV, mobile and online. Associate your brand with our award-winning content on TV every week over 31.2 million watch BBC Arabic TV station  on radio every week over 6.1 million people tune in to listen to BBC Arabic radio programmes every week over 1 million unique users visit bbcarabic.com to get the latest news and information from a website updated round the clock [BBC Global Audience Estimate (GAE) 2016
• The presenting team for the programme is as follows: Abdessamad Ben Jouda , Alya Charabati, Fouad Razek, Hala Hindawi, Iman Elkasir-Hoath, Mahmoud al Mossallami, Mahmoud Al Sheikh, Nagwa El-Gebeily and Somaya Bryant.

• The programme can be listened to on the following FM relays: Bahrain 103.8, Doha 107.4, Kuwait 90.01, Libya: Benghazi 91.5, Al Zawiya 91.5, Misrata 91.5, Tripoli 91.1, Mauritania 106.9 in Nouakchott and 102.4 in Noadhibou, Muscat, Oman 89.8 FM.

• The BBC World Service delivers news content around the world in English and 28 other language services, on radio, TV and digital, reaching a weekly audience of 246 million.  As part of BBC World Service, BBC Learning English teaches English to global audiences.  For more information, visit bbc.com/worldservice. The BBC attracts a weekly global news audience of 320 million people to its international news services including BBC World Service, BBC World News television channel and bbc.com/news.
  
  
• BBC World Service received further funding of £289m until 2019/20 from the UK Government.The BBC Trust and the Foreign Secretary have approved the new language services, in accordance with the Broadcasting Agreement.