Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

On the day of the first anniversary of Barack Obama's presidency, µώµώ°δΜύ΄΅°ω²Ή²ϊΎ±³¦ is mounting major multimedia programming, assessing his first year in power and looking at promises kept and those not delivered, domestically and internationally.

As Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arabic links up Washington, the West Bank and its regional hubs, the special day of programming on Wednesday 20 January across all platforms will start with early morning co-presentation on radio and continue throughout the day on TV and online with special reports, live injects and big-name interviews.

News bulletins throughout the day, on radio and TV, will include interviews and reports from the US capital and the Middle East looking at Obama's domestic and global policies.

Online, on bbcarabic.com, a special page carries reports in text, audio and video, a Have Your Say forum, and a wealth of fact files, archive material and a picture-gallery, showing Obama's journey to the White House.

Head of Middle East Region, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service, Liliane Landor, says: "Our teams have pulled all the stops to engage our listeners, viewers and our website users in conversation about this landmark anniversary.

"Across platforms and across continents – from London, Jerusalem and Washington DC – Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arabic seeks answers to the questions asked by our audiences and explores issues which matter to them.

"We are all geared up for a very special day of programming."

Former head of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, Paul Bremer; US Assistant Secretary of State, Philip Crowley; and Peter Walison of the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, will be among government figures and opinion-makers talking to Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arabic on the subject of the US Middle East policies.

A special edition of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arabic flagship multimedia interactive debating forum, Nuqtat Hewar (Talking Point), at 15.06 GMT on Wednesday 20 January, connects audiences in London, Washington DC and Jerusalem to discuss the US foreign policy in the Middle East with live audience participation, on radio, TV and online.

Anchored by the presenters, Samir Farah in Washington DC, Nour Zourgui in Jerusalem and Liliane Daoud in London, the live debate, Obama One Year On – American Foreign Policy And The Middle East, brings together audiences in these centres as well as in Ramallah and Gaza, Baghdad, Cairo and Khartoum.

How do people across the region evaluate Obama's first year of presidency? Have the US relations with the Islamic world improved after his landmark speech in Cairo? What is his role in the settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan?

To provide audiences with balanced and objective answers to these and many other questions, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arabic speaks to Arab-Americans, Israelis and Palestinians.

Starting on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arabic radio, the live debate culminates on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arabic television, while also actively involving online audiences via the website, bbcarabic.com, inviting their views and comments.

There will be contributions from listeners across the West Bank – in Hebron, Jenin, Ramallah, Nablus and Gaza – where people listen via the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ FM relay network, as well in Bethlehem, where audiences access the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arabic programming via the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's rebroadcasting partner, Radio Bethlehem.

On Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arabic television, a special edition of Agenda Maftouha (Open Agenda), from Washington DC at 19.10 GMT on Friday 22 January, will focus on how Arabs assess President Obama's efforts to change the image of the US in the Arab and Islamic world.

The Obama Special on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arabic coincides with the launch of its radio programming on mobile phones in the US, via AudioNow.

In addition to the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arabic network channels, listeners in the US can now tune in to Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arabic radio broadcasts for free via their mobile phones, 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week. In the United States, listeners can dial 202 481 6881 to listen to the broadcast.

For details on the programme, and to watch online, visit the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arabic network's website, bbcarabic.com.

Notes to Editors

Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arabic is the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's integrated news and information service for the Arab world. It is available on air and on demand 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week.

It is designed to reach audiences on radio, TV, the internet – on bbcarabic.com – mobile phones, PDAs and other wireless handheld devices; in whatever way best suits the audience.

Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arabic is both the largest and the oldest of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's non-English language services. Launched in 1938, it has evolved into the Arab world's leading international broadcaster, covering the political, social and cultural issues that matter to its diverse audiences in the Arab world and across the world.

With its 24/7 TV presence, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arabic is bringing the world to Arab audiences – reporting the news wherever it leads.

Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arabic breaking news alerts are offered via mobile operators as a subscription service in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Yemen and the Palestinian Territories.

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