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June 19, 2004
Independent Talk Radio in Iraq
Yet another manifestation of Iraq's newfound freedom aka George Bush's Vietnam.
"Radio Dijla has also become required listening for the country's new authorities," the paper said. Our opinion does not count, but what always counts is your opinion Radio DijlaThe station reportedly receives up to 18,000 calls a day, although it can only answer a fraction of that number.
"This is a new concept for Iraq, and the Arab world, and fills a yawning gap... We've quickly become a part of people's lives," Dr Rikabi told The Guardian.
"It shows the desperate need of ordinary Iraqis to share and communicate their pains and joys. I thought I had a good idea, but I never expected this amount of interest so soon. We are already number one in Baghdad," he said.
Callers to the programme, entitled "A Poll", are allowed to express their opinions freely without further comment by the presenter.
"Our opinion does not count, but what always counts is your opinion," the radio tells listeners repeatedly.
June 19, 2004 at 11:34 PM | Permalink
Comments
No wonder Iraq's neighbors are so nervous: "You mean the masses are made up individuals, and not mind-numbed robots?"
This situation reminds me of a scene in the movie "Meet John Doe," starring Garry Cooper.
In the scene, one of the characters, Harry Connell, the newspaper editor thinks that free people can be easily manipulated. That is, the "typical American who can keep his mouth shut." Connell's aide retorts, "Show me an American who can keep his mouth shut and I'll eat him." Replace "American" with "Iraqi" and you have talk radio in Iraq!
GO TALK RADIO IRAQ
This is great news, indeed.
Posted by: MVH | Jun 20, 2004 10:23:59 PM
With the radio, 174 newspapers, and unmolested internet usage, the Iraqis are already way ahead of their neighbors.
Posted by: Jane | Jun 20, 2004 10:44:56 AM
