Category: World Service
Date: 27.09.2005
Printable version
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Learning English, a division of the international radio and online broadcaster Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service, has forged an important new relationship with Egypt Radio & Television Union (ERTU) to co-produce a weekly radio programme for learners of English in Egypt.
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The landmark agreement signed yesterday (Monday 26 September) means, for the first time in Egypt, listeners will be able to hear Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ programming via a partner on FM.
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The one-hour programme will be jointly branded Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and Egypt Radio and broadcast on two national Egyptian channels: Middle East FM and the Youth & Sport FM, and on the Educational channel.
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It will be bilingual, in Arabic and English, and bi-media, with content available online at bbcarabic.com as well as on the radio.
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Andrew Thompson, Head of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Learning English, said: "We are very excited to be working with Egypt Radio. English is increasingly the language of international engagement and communication. Millions around the world want to learn it.
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"Through this agreement we will ensure young Egyptians have an opportunity to learn through a programme specially tailored for their needs. We will also be giving our new listeners an opportunity to learn about the British way of life."
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The name of the new programme is still to be announced, but the magazine-style content will be produced by a dedicated team working in Cairo and the UK.
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At its heart is the concept of language as key to personal and professional growth. It is designed to appeal to a youthful market, mainly students and young professionals who are looking for an interactive and entertaining way to improve and practice their English.
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It will explore a variety of themes including English for tourism, information technology (IT), sport, entertainment and cultural exchange.
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It will also feature drama, Arabic and Western music phone-ins and vocabulary-building and offer audiences lots of interactive opportunities through phone-ins, debates and competitions.
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Notes to Editors
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Egypt is the most highly populated country in the Middle East with 73 million citizens.
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For the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service, it is the third largest Arabic-speaking radio market, after Sudan and Iraq.
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service broadcasts radio and online services in 43 languages around the world. It has a global radio audience of 149 million while its international online sites attract around 330 million page impressions a month.
