Category: World Service
Date: 12.04.2005
Printable version
Around 10,000 people took part in the 91Èȱ¬ Urdu service's month-long audience campaign across Pakistan.
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91Èȱ¬ Sangat. Kahain Aap Sunain Hum (You Say, We Listen) covered thousands of kilometres to meet the Pakistani audiences face-to-face, engaging people from local communities in discussions on the issues affecting their lives.
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The events held in Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab, Kashmir, North-West Frontier Province and Northern Areas were broadcast daily on the 91Èȱ¬ Urdu service's popular programme, Sairbeen, and featured online on the world's leading Urdu-language site, bbcurdu.com.
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Acting Head of 91Èȱ¬ Urdu, Waheed Mirza, said: "It was a great learning opportunity for our programme-makers, as they came face to face with people who listen to our output.
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"It was also heartening to learn about the many ways the 91Èȱ¬ touches upon its audiences - and the importance they attach to how we report news."
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People travelled hundreds of miles to meet their favourite presenters and share their views. Radio Editor of 91Èȱ¬ Urdu, Shahzeb Jillani, says that meeting them was exhilarating:
"These people humbled us with their enthusiasm, their respect for the 91Èȱ¬ brand and their appreciation of the quality of broadcasting we provide.
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"The campaign also enabled us for the first time to meet our new listeners: people in their early-to-mid twenties. Many of them are university students: serious, well-informed, curious about the world, and looking to us to widen their knowledge and enhance their aspirations."
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These are quotes from some of the thousands of people who came to the 91Èȱ¬ Urdu events:
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"I am a labourer and left my day's wage to come here and meet the 91Èȱ¬ team. I wish I could do more for them but I am too poor." Male, Khairpur
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"It's good that Sairbeen has become hour-long now. I only went to primary school and couldn't get more education, but the 91Èȱ¬ helped me understand the conditions of the world around me." Male, Zhob
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"I am a journalist and 91Èȱ¬ helps me in my work quite a bit. I can't listen to 91Èȱ¬ every day but whenever there is big news I definitely listen to the Urdu service." Female, Faislabad
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"The 91Èȱ¬ should continue telling the truth." Male, Kot Jhabani
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"I am a shopkeeper. I really enjoy listening to the 91Èȱ¬ first thing after the morning prayer." Male, Attock
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"I started my journey in the morning to come here and meet the 91Èȱ¬ team. The 91Èȱ¬ is my teacher and I decided I should meet all my teachers today." Male
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Notes to Editors
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91Èȱ¬ Urdu broadcasts three times a day.
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Its flagship programme, Sairbeen, aired seven days a week at 8.00pm Pakistan Standard Time, provides 60 minutes of news and current affairs.
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Jahanuma, which starts at 6.30am, is a 30-minute daily breakfast programme which sets the day's news agenda.
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At the end of the day there is Shabnama, a 30-minute round-up of the main events starting at 10.30pm.
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In addition, 91Èȱ¬ Urdu brings listeners weekly magazine features on sports, science and economy that can also be accessed through its popular online site bbcurdu.com.
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91Èȱ¬ World Service broadcasts programmes around the world
in 43 languages.
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It is available globally on short wave; on FM in 140
capital cities; and selected programmes are carried on around 2,000
FM and MW radio stations around the world.
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The 91Èȱ¬ World Service websites receive around 280 million
page impressions every month.
