Iraq is concerned with the popularity of a new American radio station broadcasting in Arabic

Baghdad is concerned with the popularity of a new American radio station broadcasting in Arabic from Jordan on to Iraq. The American radio station Sava (Together) started broadcasting towards Iraq three months ago. Its programs broadcast daily for 6 hours during the night time on medium frequency waves. According to the report of the Iraqi "Babil" newspaper, during the short period of time the station managed "to attract attention of the majority of Iraqis." The newspaper emphasized that the popularity of the radio station was explained by its broadcasting structure: 80% of the time was devoted to music programs and only 20% - to news and "pro-Zionist propaganda." At the same time a lot of old songs are broadcast which trigger nostalgic memories in Iraqis of peaceful and replete times. Also one might listen daily to songs of singer Kazim Al-Sakhir, popular in Iraq. Since 1991 the artist has been residing in emigration in Egypt and songs performed by him are not broadcast by Baghdad radio or TV.

Babil indicates that Iraqi authorities "immediately understood the danger of this CIA-owned radio station" which the newspaper described as "an attempt by Washington to compensate the inefficient work of the Voice of America in Arabic." The Iraqi ministry of Information was instructed to jam its broadcasts. Though, according to the newspaper, the attempts of Iraqis were neutralized by "advanced equipment" available to the radio station. Its broadcasts are still well received in Iraq.

In addition to Iraq, programs of the Sava radio station can be listened to in Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and countries of the Persian gulf.