Radio Netherlands Worldwide has launching its Arabic radio programme at a ceremony in the Moroccan capital Rabat.
Dutch Deputy Social Affairs Minister Ahmed Aboutaleb, who was born in Morocco, officially launched ‘Huna Amsterdam’, which means ‘this is Amsterdam calling’.
The purpose of Huna Amsterdam is to provide listeners with an independent source of information. The programme can be heard in the Middle East and North Africa.
After the opening ceremony in Rabat, Moroccan and Dutch journalists debated image forming and stereotypes in the Arab and Western media. The title of the debate was ‘Moroccan scoundrels and Dutch contempt’; problems with youths of Moroccan origin are covered extensively in the Dutch media.
RRNW has had an Arabic internet site for a number of years. RNW, which had an Arabic radio programme for more than 20 years (until 1994) has decided to broadcast again in Arabic. Broadcasts can be received via short wave, satellite, podcasts and audio streams. Local partner stations will also broadcast some of the station’s programmes.