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Sudan Radio Service (SRS)

Country

Sudan

Programme Summary

Founded in 2003 by the Education Development Center (EDC) with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Sudan Radio Service (SRS) is an independent broadcaster that seeks to equip it's listeners with the knowledge and tools to participate more fully in the peace-making, reconciliation, and development processes of Sudan. To achieve this, the station offers balanced news, as well as information on issues related to civic education, education, health, agriculture, culture, and gender. SRS aims to develop and broadcast programmes with no bias towards race, nationality, gender, religious or political affiliation.

Communication Strategies

The radio-based education, news, and entertainment programmes are presented in 10 languages including Dinka, Bari, Nuer, Zande, Shilluk, Arabic, Juba-Arabic, and English. According to SRS, by broadcasting the news in 10 languages every week, it is able to expand its reach to many people formerly excluded from media of any sort, particularly women who typically speak only the local language. The organisers also state that the broadcast reaches Sudanese refugees living in other parts of the continent.

In addition to daily newscasts, SRS provides a civic education programme called "The Road to Peace." The programme reports on the implementation of the peace accords between north and south, information on new citizen rights and responsibilities, and the work of new governments. It also broadcasts a regular health education programme entitled "Health for All by All", which provides information on health topics such as malaria and HIV/AIDS.

SRS programming is produced by an all-Sudanese staff of radio professionals working at the main offices in Nairobi, Kenya as well as bureaus in Juba, Khartoum, Wau, Damazine, and Malakal. SRS also gathers news from Sudanese correspondents in many towns across Sudan.

SRS has dedicated a thirty-minute broadcast in the evening to air news and programming in Arabic, Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa languages, exclusively from Darfur. SRS sources include leaders within the Sudan Liberation Movement (SPLM), the National Congress Party (NCP), and other political parties.

As part of the service’s strategy, they trained reporters to report in a manner which is independent, unbiased, balanced, and factual. When the daily broadcasts are completed, technicians edit and build the programme into audio files that are sent electronically to London for broadcast.

Other services carried out by SRS include the production of special programmes for organisations, airing of advertisements, public service announcements (PSAs) and non-commercial or promotional messages, and providing recording studios to the public.

Development Issues

Democracy and Governance, Media, Conflict

Key Points

According to the Sudan Radio Service, their vision "is to be the most reliable, trusted, independent provider of balanced news and information to the people of Sudan living both in Sudan and abroad."

Partners

Partners include National Democratic Institute (NDI), Population Service International (PSI), Pact Sudan, International Press Service, AMREF, the Juba Post, Gurtong, Capital FM, and Radio Bakhita.

Contact

Sudan Radio Service - Headquarters

c/o EDC
Umeme Plaza
Old Naivasha Road off Ngong Road
Dagoretti Corner
Mailing address:
PO BOX 4392-00100

Nairobi
Kenya
Tel: +254 20 387 0906/2269/2263
Fax: +254 20 387 6520


Jon Newstrom
Chief of Party

Lisa Easterbrooks
Project Coordinator
Education Development Center

1000 Potomac Street NW
Suite 350

Washington, DC
20007
United States


Kent Noel
Education Development Center (EDC)

Source

dot-EDU website on January 16 2004 and Education Development Center website and SRS website on February 09 2009 and email received from Emily Kiilu, Sudan Radio Service (SRS), on March 17 2009.


Placed on the Soul Beat Africa site January 16 2004
Last Updated May 04 2009



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