RFE/RL, VOA Azerbaijani Radio Broadcasts Debut on FM in Baku

(Washington, DC — January 24, 2007) On January 1, 2007, the Azerbaijani-language services of both Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (which is known locally as Radio Azadliq) and the Voice of America launched a new 24/7 FM broadcast stream to the Azerbaijani capital of Baku. The new station, known as Baku 101.7 FM, is heard in the capital city of Baku and its suburbs, which comprise 40 percent of Azerbaijan’s total population.

RFE/RL and VOA programming will alternate throughout the 24-hour broadcast clock. Five and half hours of broadcasting on the new frequency are original programming produced by RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani service. RFE/RL also produces 14 live, top-of-the-hour, 5-minute newscasts per day from Baku and Prague. VOA’s Azerbaijani-language service providing a daily 60-minute original program including a 30-minute repeat, two 5-minute newscasts; along with VOA’s popular Music Mix, Special English, and English teaching programs.

More than half of the programming produced by RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani for the new 24-hour stream are prepared locally in the broadcaster’s Baku bureau, including the complete morning hour that is produced live.

RFE/RL (www.azadliqradiosu.az and www.rferl.org) and VOA Azerbaijani-language programming (in the Latin and Persian alphabets) is available via the Internet and AM; RFE/RL broadcasts are also available on satellite in Azerbaijan, as are VOA radio broadcasts on shortwave frequencies and VOA television programs on Azerbaijan TV (AzTV). English-language news about events in Azerbaijan can be found on the RFE/RL website.