KUWAIT, Feb 21 (NNN-KUNA) — Local Kuwaiti radio is granting expatriates here an opportunity to listen to broadcasts in their mother tongues, and to remain in touch with their religions and cultures.
Local stations broadcasting in foreign languages first aired back in June 1964. Today, broadcasts cover a variety of languages such as English, Persian, Urdu and Pilipino for foreigners to tune in to.
FM 93.3 is a local station run by foreigners, and serves as a mediator to help expatriates get a sense of what is going on in the country through covering events and stories in their mother language, explained Director of Radio Kuwait’s Foreign Programs Department Sheikha Shojoun Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to KUNA.
Although the programs are primarily translated into the target language, they maintain Kuwaiti identity through programs that narrate the country’s history alongside entertainment and talk shows, she said.
English programs are aired on FM 93.3 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., followed by Persian from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Pilipino from 1:00 p.m. to 3: 00 p.m., Urdu from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and finally an English broadcast from 9:00 p.m. till midnight, she noted.
As for the Short Wave 72.5, she said that it covers the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and some surrounding Arab countries and it aims at highlighting major events in Kuwait.
Programs vary from local and international news segments to songs and sport shows, documentaries, art, medicine and environment-oriented programs, she said, and noted that some programs aim to raise awareness among foreigners in domains such as traffic and health, among others.
On his book on the history of media in Kuwait, Yousif Al-Surei said that the English program ranked third in the timed foreign broadcast competition in 1973.
Around 45 stations were participating in the tournament of the stations most listen to in Europe and Scandinavia. ? NNN-KUNA
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