United States Agency for Global Media

Springfield, Va. — Alhurra-Iraq announces the launch of a new program From Erbil, which reports from the streets of Kurdistan and focuses on the plurality of Iraq, discussing topics that are important to all Iraqis. It sheds light on issues that affect people living in the province, such as human and minorities rights, violence against women, unemployment and problems in the agriculture and tourism sectors. From Erbil airs every Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Baghdad time and is the latest program from the Raise Your Voice campaign.

“We are pleased to carry the voices of Erbil to our audience in Iraq,” stated Brian Conniff, President of Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN). MBN manages and oversees Alhurra-Iraq. “This new program will cover stories, especially about women and youth, that will interest the entire country of Iraq.”

The first episode delves into Iraqi youth and emigration. It interviews young Iraqis, in addition to analysts and experts, to explore the reasons behind this phenomenon and its reflection on the broader society and the future of Iraq. The program also discusses the diminishing numbers of youth who are seeking marriage due to high dowry demands, that can go as high as one kilogram of gold or its equivalent.

MBN’s Raise Your Voice campaign is designed as a platform that encourages Iraqi citizens to speak out and be a part of the discussion about the fight against extremism and the underlying causes of terrorism. The goal is to encourage Iraqis to seek constructive solutions to the problems that afflict this troubled country.

According to Gallup, Alhurra-Iraq has a weekly reach of more than 7 million viewers. It is operated by the non-profit corporation MBN and is financed by the U.S. Government through a grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), an independent federal agency.  The BBG serves oversight and as a firewall to protect the professional independence and integrity of the broadcasters.