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Voice of America Expands its Sudan Programming

   Move is aimed at providing free and unbiased news to southern Sudan

   Ashenafi Abedje 17 September 2010

   The  Voice  of America is set to expand its radio broadcasts to Sudan.
   Starting  Monday  (September  20th),  the  Sudan in Focus program airs
   Monday through Friday from 1630 to 1700 UTC

   Joan  Mower,  senior  officer in VOAâs Office of Business Development,
   says  VOAâs  expansion  of its Sudan programming reflects growing U.S.
   interest in southern Sudan.

   John Ogulnik, head of VOA's Sudan Project

   âSouthern  Sudan right now is a critical interest of the United States
   and  in  fact the eyes of the world are on southern Sudan as they move
   forward  with  a  referendum. And we want to make sure because it is a
   right  for all free people that they receive the information they need
   about whatâs going on in their country,â she says.

   VOAâs role 

   How  about  the possible perception that the program may encourage the
   break-up  of  Sudan?  Mower  says  VOA  does  not  engage  in advocacy
   journalism.  Instead,  she says, it will continue to serve as the eyes
   and  ears  of the people and to provide them with news and information
   they can use to make decisions about their lives.

   âWe  at  VOA  are  very  careful  to remain unbiased. We have balanced
   coverage  and thatâs what weâre going to do with our news about Sudan.
   Weâre  going  to  be  as  clear  and as focused on providing facts and
   information  to  the  people  about  the historical decisions they are
   going to make about their country in Sudan,â she says.

   The  VOA  official says producers of Sudan in Focus will have âlots of
   interactionsâ  with  people  in  Sudan through daily contacts, call-in
   programs and town hall meetings.

   Coverage

   John Ogulnik heads the Sudan Project.

   âThe  focus  of  the program will be on southern Sudan. But everything
   that happens in southern Sudan in the build-up to the January 9, 2011,
   referendum affects the people of all of Sudan. So we have to take that
   into  account.  Weâll have input from Khartoum, weâll be interested in
   events taking place in Darfur as they affect Southern Sudan -- nothing
   is happening in a vacuum,â he says.

   Joan Mower, senior officer in VOA'S Office of Business Development

   Ogulnik  says  events  in  Sudan also have implications far beyond its
   borders -- for the Horn of Africa, the continent at large and the rest
   of the world.

   Team

   VOA  is continuing to assemble the team for the Sudan Project, Ogulnik
   says.

   âWeâre building a network of great stringers around southern Sudan and
   we  have  someone reporting for us from Khartoum. Theyâll be reporting
   on developments from the national government, the ruling NCP (National
   Congress  Party)  and the SPLM (Southern Peoples Liberation Movement).
   Weâre  going  to  have  reports  from Nairobi, Cairo, London, wherever
   developments on this issue take place,â he says.

   Sudan  in  Focus  will be co-hosted by two veteran Sudanese reporters,
   says  Ogulnik.  A  major  thrust  of  the  show,  he says, will entail
   exploring   the   process   leading  to  next  yearâs  referendum  and
   incorporating the views of ordinary Sudanese.

   Senior  Development  Officer  Joan  Mower  says  as  of now, the Sudan
   Project  is  funded for one year. She says given the major US interest
   about developments in Sudan, she hopes the radio initiative will be an
   ongoing project.

   Starting  September  20,  Sudan  in  Focus  airs Monday through Friday
   1630-1700  UTC  on  the  following  frequencies: 9675, 12015 and 13825
   kiloherz.

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