My Radio Segment, Episode 2

This week's episode is available for download HERE, and for listening on the listen icon. and Here are the contents of this episode:

The interactivity on the Jordanian airwaves with the crisis in Gaza has continued this week, without any major changes from the previous week.
Radio Jordan - English Service for example, has continued in broadcasting mellow and classical music, but in the periods when popular shows used to be on air, just like the program “Licenser's Choice” LC, the lines were open for the public to interact with the licenser's regarding whats happening in Gaza, also we have heard several times on the airwaves of this radio station, and at several times, even some Arabic revolutionary and national songs, which, unfortunately, were with quite bad sound quality.

On the other hand, all 3 radio stations operated by Seagulls Communication, specifically, Mazaj FM, Beat FM, and Mood FM, have started promoting for the Jordan River Foundation's campaign for helping the people in Gaza. That is, other than Aramex's campaign that I have mentioned and played in last week's episode. And which has been on most of the radio station's around, but unfortunately not all of them .... ! is it possible some radio stations asked for a charge for playing this announcement!

Play 99.6, is also organizing a music gig, for several Palestinian hiphop bands, that are known for their way musical way in tackling the Palestinian issues, as well as the Jordanian singer hummam ammari. The objective of this gig, as play is announcing is to donate all the money collected from the tickets for supporting people in gaza, also through the Jordan River foundation's campaign.

Play FM has is promoting for this event through its website, www.play.jo, and through several catchy promotions on its airwaves. But one of the interesting things is that I heard an announcement for this gig on Energy FM's “Morning Fix” show, mentioning the cause behind it, but definitely not that Play FM is organizing it. Also, on of the participating DJs in this gig is DJ Sout-u-Soura, who has a show on Beat FM. Despite the fact I didn't hear any announcements on Beat FM about this gig, but having Beat FM allowing one of their DJs in such an event organized by their competitor, Play FM, for such a cause and in such situations is indeed something out of the ordinary war of competition between those radio stations.

In the coverage of the public interaction with what's happening in Gaza, Radio Al-Balad has continued its “Quality” coverage, something that is said not only by me in this show, but Also by BBC Arabic, in their show “BBC Extra”, which dedicated part of this week's show about Radio Al-Balad's extra ordinary coverage for the crisis in gaza and the public interaction with it.

Last Friday, 9-1-2009, for example, Radio Al-Balad started a detailed Live coverage for the public activities and marches around town, and dedicated a big part of this coverage for the big demonstration in Rabieh, which started from a news bulletin that turned into a live coverage for over a couple of hours, and was objective enough to report the events at location through their representative, as well as a lot of phone calls with the media announcer of the anti-rebel police dept (Darak Forces), and other people and eye-witnesses at location, and even some reporters from other media outlets available on location. And thus had the responsibility to show the picture at location for the listeners neutrally as it is, and from all the point of view. That is beside covering other marches and demonstrations in other locations as well.

While Hayat FM for example, had a different kind of coverage on the same day, and was more political oriented, by only covering the speech ceremony held by the islamic brotherhood party, and there was no other coverage for other events. But, Hayat FM had held an event it self 1 day before, by organizing a demonstration for kids from their offices to the UNICEF offices in Tla3 Al-Ali area, and promoted for it through its airwaves.

On the sector news, both University of Jordan and Mutah University had each obtained a license from the AVC for having their own radio stations. Just like the radio stations already running in Yarmouk University and in Ma'an's King Hussein University. No further details yet about those radio stations, or their frequencies or programs, and i promise i will be dedicating an episode soon about those university radio stations.

With the beginning of 2009, i have mentioned some changes in the programs over the airwaves. Radio Al-Balad for example started a new shows grid, by doing some changes in some existing shows, like “3asrieh” which is now more politically oriented, and “Eye on Media” out of which this segment now takes part, along with 2 other segments on Newspapers and news-websites. As well as introducing several new shows, just like “Kolna Bne2dar”, “Kolna zai ba3ad”, “sport files”, a return for the program “7aggee”, “atheer al qawafi”, “Musica men el sharq”... and continuity for the regular other shows on the airwaves, and their interaction with the listener's.

Also, we got surprised on Sunday 4-1-2009 on Spin Jordan, which is just around 3 months old on the airwaves, with a reshuffle for the hosts of their shows, so that the morning show presenter “Tamer Bataineh” is now on the afternoon show called “The Zoo Crew”, and Lena Ghanem was moved from there to the morning show in return.

Beat FM, started airing a promo for its achievements in 2008, promising that the year 2009 will be as their motto, “Bigger, Better, Bolder”, but with no changes on the shows or any new shows, until now.

Also, seem Radio Sawt Al-Madina is planning some new stuff for the new year, but until now, i didn't hear anything but a comedy segment which Radio Sawt Al-Madina has co-produced with those from the comics website, 3alarasi.com


Last but not least, we heard some amusing stuff on the airwaves of Jordanian radios during the last week. On Saturday 3-1-2009 on Radio Al-Balad, specifically on the evening news and while talking on air through the phone to a certain individual, he started thanking Radio Sawt Al-Madina instead of Radio Al-Balad, while he was Live on the airwaves of Radio Al-Balad. (sound clip attached).

While on Energy FM's Morning Fix, those people behind the program, has introduced a new segment on Sunday 4-1-2009, which we actually used to hear it on Play 99.6 a while ago, by allowing school students and interacting with them speaking about their schools, classes or teachers on the airwaves. Unfortunately, seems those behind the idea has forgotten that currently, the schools are either in their med-year vacation, or just wrapping up the final exams.

Finally, on Play 99.6, also on the morning show, Lee McGrath has played us a song, The Script's latest – Break Even, claiming its new and will be big in 2009, and to remember where we heard it 1st .... while this track has been playing all over the other CHR radio stations for over a couple of months even! (sound clip attached)

Next week, hopefully, we will get to know more about CHR Radios in Jordan, and the definition of this format of Radio stations and a detailed discussion about them. So tune in next monday on 92.4 FM starting 10.30 AM, or through www.ammannet.net, for this and more.

Remember you can send in your comments, feedback and any radio observations on radio@ammannet.net