New Tunisian Private Radio Station Begins Broadcast

Excerpt from report by Tunisian radio on 25 July

Private radio station Al-Jawharah FM began broadcast at six o’clock this morning from the city of Sousse covering the eastern region.

This private radio station joins a national media scene that is developing and growing in variety under the care of His Excellency President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who had given permission for the establishment of private radio and television stations, as a reiteration by the president of the firm political will to enrich the media sector and constantly develop it.

Al-Jawharah radio FM which started broadcasting this morning, broadcasts its programmes on two frequencies, the first is 102.5 FM, which covers the Sousse, Monastir and Nabeul Provinces, and the second is 89.4 which covers the Provinces of Kairouan and Mehdia.

Al-Jawharah FM radio broadcasts its programmes daily between 0600 until 0100 [0400 until 1100 gmt].

[Passage omitted: Ben Ali praising role of private sector in media.]