Launched on Sunday, Sawt al Karak 91.3 FM officially commenced its first live interview with HRH Princess Basma during the opening ceremony, which was held in the presence of US Ambassador Stephen Beecroft at Mutah University, where the broadcast studio is based.

"I encourage all male and female students and also members of the Karak community to benefit from this valuable media tool since voluntary initiatives like this open new doors for opportunity," Princess Basma said during the live interview.

The community radio project aims to promote the real voices of the people of Karak, to enhance social responsibility and improve the quality of community services by focusing on social issues and public opinion, including citizen concerns, according to its mandate.

Volunteers received radio production training from Mutah University and the Queen Zein Al Sharaf Institute for Development, funded by USAID through the Jordan Media Strengthening Programme.

Mechanical engineering student Mohammad Albtowsh, 21, said he loved media and volunteering and found that Sawt al Karak gave him a "golden opportunity" to learn how to investigate topics and conduct interviews.

He is now the host of one of the morning programmes "Jamiaati" (my university), which tackles the latest university news and student concerns, including a special time slot for teaching students how to benefit from the university's services, he said.

Another volunteer, Firas Bashir, said that while before he was merely a radio listener, today he is a communicator who enjoys work which gives him "a chance to be a leader".

He will be hosting "Hawalaina qessas" (stories around us), which features investigative reports and humanitarian stories in Karak.

Sawt al Karak is set to broadcast 24 hours a day to the governorate, home to approximately 215,000 people. Its diverse range of programmes also incorporates light news, Karak cultural heritage, health education and sports.

Princess Basma noted that the station offers a "valuable opportunity" for more women to be involved in the media sector.

"Women have an essential role to guarantee the success of this station in reaching its goals. Women in our governorates have always had a leading role in the process of change. The station will ensure that women will have a strong voice that is heard across this governorate and all of Jordan," she said.

In another live interview after the launch ceremony, the US ambassador affirmed that community radio with local content is a means for the local citizens to obtain useful information relevant to their lives.

"It is this type of partnership and community involvement that brings about change and development," Beecroft said.

© Jordan Times 2009