Country Reports on Terrorism 2012

of the world’s Muslim population. The networks provided a unique, local perspective of
breaking news, current events, and topics that are not readily found in domestic media, such as
freedom of speech, religion, and the role of women in society and politics. In 2012, MBN
focused its coverage on the building of democratic principles throughout the region.
Leading up to presidential elections in Egypt, Alhurra joined with Cairo’s top rated Al Hayat
TV-2 to co-produce and simultaneous broadcast a series of high-profile interviews of Egyptian
presidential candidates. The network’s coverage continued through the transfer of power from
the military to the newly elected president and through the demonstrations and debates over the
national referendum regarding the adoption of a new constitution. Alhurra’s local news coverage
was supplemented by in-depth analysis and panel discussions regarding controversial sections of
the proposed constitution including the powers of the president, the role of the judiciary, and the
army. Alhurra’s flagship talk show Free Hour aired live from Cairo in the week leading up to the
vote, and the weekly talk show Hiwar Cairo expanded to two hours.
In Libya, Alhurra and Radio Sawa continued to cover the transition to democracy though its
newscasts, special event programming, and as a special topic on current affairs programs. Topics
included the security situation in Libya and the debate over federalism and the formation of the
national army. Radio Sawa’s coverage was bolstered by the installation of FM transmitters in
Tripoli, Benghazi, and Misratah, the country’s three largest cities.
Also in 2012, MBN re-launched its Alhurra and Radio Sawa websites, featuring a cleaner and
more user-friendly experience. The sites promoted greater audience interaction by allowing
readers to easily post comments on stories and share reports. Through its reinvigorated digital
presence and integration with on-air promotion, Alhurra’s Facebook followers have grown to
more than 830,000 and Radio Sawa to more than 775,000.
Radio Sawa’s network of stations, broadcasting 24/7, is designed to reach the Arabic-speaking
population under the age of 35. It broadcast 325 newscasts per week about the Middle East, the
United States, and the world. According to international research firms such as ACNielsen,
Radio Sawa had a weekly reach of 13.4 million people in countries where its audience has been
measured.
Radio Sawa broadcast on FM in:
Morocco (Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Meknes, Marrakesh, Agadir, and Fes)
Jordan (Amman and Ajlun – also extending SAWA’s reach into southern Syria)
West Bank and Gaza (Jenin and Ramallah)
Kuwait (Kuwait City)
Bahrain (Manama)
Libya (Tripoli, Benghazi, and Misratah)
Qatar (Doha)
United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi and Dubai)
Iraq (Baghdad, Nasiriya, Basra, Mosul, Kirkuk, Sulimaniya, Fallujah, Ramadi, Al-Hilla,
Tikrit, Amara, Najaf, Samawa, and Erbil)
Lebanon (Beirut, North Lebanon, South Lebanon, and Bekaa Valley)
Djibouti
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