Apr 20, 2024

Job Fair | Call Morocco | Store | Advertise

Find a Moroccan: [tip]

Find a Business: [tip] in

Serving 43300 members. Join us in welcoming our newest member: Hy-way.

»» Dialogues

Interview of Mr. Brian Conniff

By Wafin.be Team

Wafin.be: You are president of MBN group that owns Alhurra TV and Radio SAWA. Before going into details, can you explain the choice for the names Alhurra (The free) and Sawa (Together)?

Brian Conniff: Radio Sawa's name was inspired by the popular Arabic word for "together". It fit Sawa because the station brings together Western and Arabic cultures in a way no other major station in the Middle East does since it plays both Arabic and Western pop music. The word Sawa in Arabic also has a young feeling, warm feeling, symbolizing the youthful spirit of the new generation.

The Arabic name Alhurra, roughly translated as "Free One" (as in a free person), was inspired by the central idea of the channel which seeks inform and empower people to be free in their opinions and ideas.

Wafin.be: Radio SAWA has started broadcasting around March 2002. Today it is covering more than 11 Arab countries (Morocco, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait…) with programs adapted to every country (In morocco for e.g. we hear more Rai music than other countries will). Why choose only these Arab countries?

Brian Conniff : We wish Radio Sawa could be broadcast in every country. However, each country has procedures and rules that limit our ability to broadcast within them. I would suggest anyone who cannot hear Radio Sawa in their country to tune in online at www.radiosawa.com.

Wafin.be: Alhurra, a free and independent channel ! Shall we expect programs clearly hostile to all these Arab dictators and promoting democracy? Any spotted country?

Brian Conniff: Alhurra’s mission is to report on the news objectively and accurately without an agenda. However, Alhurra is in the unique position to discuss topics that cannot be discussed on other channels in the Middle East. Topics such as the rights of women, human rights, freedom of speech and freedom of religion can be commonly found on Alhurra.

Wafin.be: Your programs are produced and broadcast from Virginia (USA). Do you have any offices in these countries? What about the news? Are they adapted to every country or only covering more general and global information?

Brian Conniff: MBN is based out of Virginia in the USA, but we have bureaus in Baghdad, Amman, Beirut and Dubai. We also have correspondents in more than 20 countries in the Middle East and around the world. Alhurra newscasts report on events from throughout the region, the US and the world.

Wafin.be: Can you provide some figures about these two media in terms of the number of journalists, budgeting, broadcasting satellites…)?

Brian Conniff :

The budget for 2006 is as follows :
Alhurra and Alhurra-Iraq is $65 million
Radio Sawa is $13 million
Alhurra and Alhurra-Iraq are available on Arabsat and Nilesat satellite systems. Alhurra has a staff of about 200 people at the headquarters are in VirginiaRadio Sawa has a staff of about 40 people at the headquarters are in Virginia

Wafin.be: We know that Radio SAWA broadcasting is accessible via the WEB. Aren’t you planning to reach immigrant families in Europe and specifically in Belgium?

Brian Conniff: On August 1^st MBN will launch Alhurra Europe on Eutelsat Hotbird 3 (13 deg E) Channel 190. Alhurra Europe will broadcast all of the popular newscasts and programs that appear on Alhurra and Alhurra-Iraq to Arabic-speaking viewers in Europe.

Wafin.be: President Bush has announced in February 2004 the launch of the Alhurra TV. A channel that claims to be independent and neutral. You confirm and persist in saying that these two media tools are independent and do not depend on the bush administration while these two media are fully financed and supported by the US government to promote the American political decisions towards the Arab world.

Brian Conniff: MBN (the parent company of Alhurra and Radio Sawa) has been established as a non-profit corporate grantee of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), the independent federal agency that supervises all U.S. international nonmilitary broadcasting. It is a misconception that MBN is promoting any position, Alhurra and Radio Sawa’s mission, by law, is to report the news objectively and accurately.

Wafin.be: A word about Aljazeera? A channel that you are probably planning to rank with or even surpass. Isn’t it your target: Replace Aljazeera and reduce its influence in the Arab world?

Brian Conniff: The goal of Alhurra is to be an alternate source of news and information for Arab viewers, which we have been successful in achieving. Al Jazeera is incredibly popular in the Middle East and it is unrealistic to think we could replace the channel.

Wafin.be: With more or less 35 millions in audience per week, you have finally succeeded to impose you presence in a satellite world which is more and more competitive. What is your secret?

Brian Conniff: Alhurra has an estimated audience of 20 million, Alhurra and Radio Sawa combined have an unduplicated audience of 35 million. Our success is tied directly to the programming that Alhurra and Radio Sawa are offering. The networks are unique in the ability of Alhurra and Radio Sawa to discuss issues that are taboo on other networks.

Wafin.be: You have decided to broadcast Alhurra in Europe. Belgium will be the pilot country. When will this be launched? Via which satellite? Will the programs be produced in Belgium or as usual from US?

Brian Conniff: On August 1^st we will launch Alhurra Europe on Eutelsat Hotbird 3 (13 deg E) Channel 190. The channel will consist of the newscasts and the popular programming that can already be seen on Alhurra and Alhurra-Iraq. Each month Alhurra holds a Town Hall Meeting to discuss the issues affecting the Arab-speaking population. We were investigating the possibility of hosting one of those Town Hall Meetings in Belgium after the launch of Alhurra Europe.

Wafin.be: In Parallel to Alhurra TV, you have Alhurra Iraq. What is the objective of this channel which is obviously focusing on Iraq?

Brian Conniff: Shortly after the launch of Alhurra, a second channel was launched to serve the special needs of the audience in Iraq. Alhurra-Iraq is broadcast via satellite as well as via terrestrial transmitters in Baghdad, Mosul and Basra. Alhurra-Iraq’s news and current affairs programming focuses on issues facing Iraqi viewers as they move into a new era, rebuilding their country.

Wafin.be: Shall we expect Alhurra in Iran or Syria?

Brian Conniff: Alhurra is currently available in Syria and has even done a Town Hall Meeting in downtown Damascus on freedom of the press. Alhurra can also be seen in parts of Iran, however most of the country speaks Farsi, not Arabic. The Broadcasting Board of Governors (has launched Radio Farda and television programming to Iran, both of which broadcast in Farsi.

Wafin.be: Taking into account the current disaster in the Middle East, how Alhurra/Sawa are covering the War against Lebanon and Palestine? Watching CNN, Fox and other US broadcasters, we clearly feel, see and hear that the US press is standing for and supporting Israel.

Brian Conniff: Despite not being funded for 24/7 news operations, Alhurra TV has operated as an around-the-clock breaking news station since the crisis started on July 12. Using anchors in Springfield, Va., but relying on live correspondent reports throughout from the Middle East, as well as Europe and the United States, Alhurra has covered this fast breaking story as it has happened.

On July 15^th, Alhurra began broadcasting a daily three hour program from downtown Beirut with live reports from around the country, bringing viewers the latest news and information from Lebanon. The program examines the human interest aspect of the crisis and gives up-to-the-minute information from the frontlines.

The key to Alhurra’s thorough and robust coverage during this crisis has been live reports from throughout Lebanon (Beirut - the airport, south and city center, and south Lebanon and Bekaa Valley), and in Israel (along the border with Lebanon, Jerusalem and the border with Gaza). In addition, Alhurra correspondents in other parts of the world, including those at the State Department, White House, United Nations and in Europe have presented live reports that provided Alhurra’s audience with a wider perspective and reaction to the events in the Middle East.

Equally important to Alhurra’s coverage was the expansion of current affairs programming, which allowed for a more in-depth exploration of the issues as well as several round table discussions. Each day Alhurra has been airing a three-hour talk show in prime time discussing the conflict with officials and experts in Lebanon, Israel and the U.S. All other programming on the main Alhurra channel has been pre-empted since July 12^th.

Since the conflict started Radio Sawa has extended its twice-an-hour newscasts to follow the developments in Lebanon and Israel. The first newscast of each hour is at least 15 minutes to provide listeners with the latest updates and in-depth reports on the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. Radio Sawa is also pre-empting its regular programming with breaking news coverage as warranted. The radio network is continuing it interviews with Lebanese, Israeli and US government and military officials and experts to provide comprehensive coverage of the conflict. Radio Sawa’s in-depth current affairs programs such as Free Zone have also discussed the conflict between Hezbollah, Israel and Gaza. Additionally, Radio Sawa’s all news Web site is providing up to the minute news and details on situation in Lebanon and Israel.

Wafin.be: A last word for our web visitors?

Brian Conniff: We just suggest that they tune into Alhurra Europe and Radio Sawa to decide about the networks for themselves.

Share |

beautifulwmn : Sounds like a good idea however I am deeply concerned that the Bush Administration is backing this.

spartak : Alhurra and Radio Sawa are propaganda mediums for the US government.The lies of the interviewee aside ,the goal of both is brain washing Arabs and muslims into accepting American and Israeli domination.War,invasion, the deaths of 100's of thousands of muslims, torture, and the general rape and humiliation of the Arab nation at the hands of Americans and their Israeli client will make accepting such dominance , a hard sell. Thats why Conniff is targeting a young Arab audience ,he thinks they are the know nothings whose heads can be filled with falsehoods easiest.In between cool music they can learn to support the American empire and love their subhuman place in it.Arabs and muslims should not support Alhurra or Radio Sawa. Mr. Conniff , we will not be conned.

Kevin Johnson
Oakland, CA.USA

r-talal : Al Hurra is a mouthpiece and propaganda tool for the US government, so who cares. Well Bush granted them an interview when they first lauched it if that tells you something(taped by the way). Viva Al Jazeera.

almaati : They are nothing but a Propaganda arm of the US Administration and they have failed miserably as one of the Congressmen has stated in spite of the huge amounts of tax payers money they have sucked in. Just look around you and see how many people are watching the so called "Al Hurra".

The only thing they should aim for is to become something like the BBC but I really doubt that they can.

Regarding the interview, whoever conducted it, should have done some serious research and asked some serious and tough questions....

kwoolr : And these newstations that promote terrorism are some how better? Maybe some of these morons can benefit from a little brainwashing. And who's to say that the people that claim to be the mouthpiece for the arab world are doing such a great job?

If you don't want to listen to it, DONT.If you dont like the horrible American MONSTER country,MOVE. It drives me crazy when I see people who clearly live in the USA bashing and bashing it. LEAVE. Enough already. If the USA wants to put on Nancy Ajram and Rai and broadcast happy music all over , let them. What are the terrorists broadcasting except burning american flags and beheading videos. I think radio sawa is nice.I have heard it. Its no more propaganda than the stupid things hezbollah puts out.Change the station.

Gees.I am really sorry guys, but beating up on the USA for broadcasting?PLEASE. Give me a break.Put down the latte that you are drinking at starbucks while you bash everything the USA stands for and go get a life.

prince@ : Anther good interview. I thought the questions from Wafin team were well thought of. The answers from Mr. Conniff were sometimes indirect specially the answer about whether the US government is backing up the TV and Radio Station or not.
Personally, I haven’t had the chance to listen or watch either of them. However, from what I hear, everyone knows that the aim of this type of media is to show and explain in a good way, I think, the ideology of the states. It is known that the US uses different paths to get the Arab world to imitate the American life. If we look at the number of students that have scholarships from Saudi Arabia in the US we can get the point. Even Morocco, I think we have a program where Moroccans can study in the US with good scholarships in condition that they have to go back once they are done with school. The same think Mrs. Rise is trying to do with Students from Iran. If we look at the big picture, we should get the point. These stations are just anther way. Having said that, We as Moroccans do the same, every time I hear some Moroccan talking about Lablad, I usually only hear the good staff. You don’t want to tell a foreigner the bad stuff; you always want to paint the picture with a nice color…

zbenz : Hi Kwooler, in all your comments I can see how desperate you are to understand the fellow Moroccans (Muslims in general). I also see how much love and patriotism you have for the USA just do not let them turn you blind. Just to help bridge the gap, here is what we believe as Muslims and this after the Prophet Mohammed PBUH (Help your brother either when he is an aggressor or a victim of aggression. When he is an aggressor, you have to advise him to stop and correct his wrong doing (aggression). And when he is a victim, you have to support him till justice is served.) As an American, you can proudly show your patriotism by helping the US correct its wrong doing in any involvements in the world affairs and encourage policy that would affect the world positively. You can start by helping ending the war and you actually admitted it in one of your comment that the USA shouldn’t gone there.
Just see how weak the reasons presented by this Administration (flip flap: WMD to…. to Democratizing middle east ….) to justify the go to war.
See how easy the president got the right to wage what is called preemptive war after 9/11 events. Ask yourself, who have benefited from the 9/11 tragedy, Muslims absolutely a NO.
Go to “LOOSE CHANGE” you will find some disturbing investigations and truths.
Americans are being misled, lied to and betrayed. If America is the most hated country now, it is easy to know why. Simply get rid of Fox News, CNN …- my exception to an extent would be NPR-. America and Americans are in need of help, the help starts by revealing the truth to see the reality.

Just to relate this comment to the article, I do not think the Arab world needs another CNN or Fox News through Sawa radio or Al Hurra TV to cover up the truth and what the policymakers are fabricating in world Capital Washington D.C.
I hope you take my comment in an instructive way not a destructive one and thinks for reading it.

beautifulwmn : Sorry Kwoolr, I do not agree with your statement. Everytime someone criticizes the US which has freedom of speech, Americans do not want to hear it. They tell people to leave. Just because we are against this does not mean we hate the US. I have said many times before that the American people need to stop being so racist against Muslims and Arabs. They need to clean up their mess right here. Instead they make excuses and flake off the fact that they have the highest rate of child murder and rape in the world. Arabs and Muslims do not hate Jews. Infact we have many Jewish people in Morocco. Just because the US media says someone is a terrorist it does not make them so.
Sorry but the facts are available. Israel has violated all UN resolutions and continues to commit a holocaust against the Palestinian people. If a hezbollah or fattah guy kills an Israeli he is called a terrorist. If an Israel soldier drives a US tank over a Palestinian house and kills everyone inside, he is called a hero. Enough is Enough, it is time the American people heard the truth. The Hezbollah struck against Israel when the IDF started to illegally kill the new Palestinian government. The news media keeps saying it was unprovoked. That is a blatant lie. By the way, the US news media gladly uses footage from Al-Jazeera in their broadcasts. And for everyones information, the war will never stop until Israel is brought to its knees.
They will never abide by any peace agreement. They never have.

almaati : Kwoolr,

A couple of years ago I watched a debate on C-Span about AlHurra/Sawa that took place in front of a US Congress sub-committee...A US Congressman (a Hispanic/Puerto Rican) from New York blantly told the Board of governors that overseas AlHurra/Sawa that that they were a propaganda tool and that he was not happy with their poor results in the Arab World...

And that's the view that many of us who follow the Arabic peaking media hold...Do you know that they finally closed down the "HI" magazine which targeted young Arabs...? It just didn't work!! Have you asked yourself why the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, Ambassador Tutwiller, resigned from her job after her failed attempts to polish the image of the US abroad?

Now, you state that "those morons can benefit from a little brainwashing..."
The fact is that the only morons who need some cleansing and conditioning are people like you... You have no idea on what's happening to the image of America around the world and not just in Muslim or Arab countries. According to a recent PEW poll conducted in Europe, Europeans ranked the United States as the number one threat to international peace and security, before North Korea and Iran..
Have you asked yourself why? Perhaps you have been watching too much the real terror propaganda TV stations like FOX News...

Now in your Bushy mind, anyone who disagrees with your favorite propaganda outlets and/or criticizes the current US Administration must be a supporter of terrorism, as if Americans come in one size only and must have the same views on foreign policy as conducted by President Bush...or else...this is indeed the new face of terror, very much like Nazi propagandists who refused to hear any opposing views...
However, and fortunately for now at least, we all know that there are US media oulets that try to provide acurate reporting and impartial views on the current conflict... They are in the minority but nonetheless they are out there..And we all know that millions of Americans are not supporting the current US policies in the Middle East and elsewhere...

And no amount of tax payers money spent on cheap and idiotic propaganda is going to win the hearts and minds of the people there....First and foremost ...we have to tackle the real root causes..

Finally, how dare you tell those who disagree with the Bushies to move out of the US? Maybe you have forgotten that you are just another descendant of immigrants. The only ones who can claim the deeds to this great land are the native tribes of America and you are Not one of them....so keep your hateful nonesense to yourself...On the other hand, some of us have contributed to this country more than any of the real morons that call themselves patriotic....

kate : Alhurra and Radio Sawa are not free, and though they were created to report on issues that the local stations would not do that has not happened. We are wasting our tax dollars on something that is not accomplishing anything. Both stations are backed by the US government and owned by the USgovernment. Both stations have to be on good terms with the local governments in order to air.

They are in fact full of corruption because sweet deals are kept within the circle and the United States is promoting the same propaganda that the local governments are promoting. “Keep the people under”. And they can not be critical of the US government because of the funding. So where is the freedom and where is the truth. And Congress is asleep because they have no idea what is going on.

kwoolr : I am not BUSHY. I frankly am not affected by who is the president to the point that I don't make over 150,000 a year. I just frankly resent all the USA bashing and it seems that even if we try to do something positive, we get slammed. So what if they play NANCY AJRAM and RAI and popular music? How is that any worse than the nonsense that is broadcast telling people to strap bombs on their bodies and blow up planes? You know, I will defer about alot of things. But not this. So what if they broadcast " PLEASE LIKE AMERICA STUFF"? Don't you live here? Why wouldn't you want our image cleaned up? Do you want American citizens at risk in other parts of the world because of hate radio or some moron saying " Kill every american you can find".

The fact you assume that I am BUSHY shows you just don't get it. If you think the average american even knows where half these countries are on the map, you are dead wrong. But we pay our taxes and I would be curious to see just how much money the USA sent for earthquake relief and tsunami relief compared with other nations. Its like we are supposed to just hand over money, then take a bunch of bashing then if we don't like it, then we are whatever you want to call us. I could care less who is president because it doesnt affect me. I know what a huge war machine we are. I know exactly what we do and have done wrong . But I have a fundamental problem with people being SO INCENSED with us broadcasting. Don't listen. What are you afraid of? Maybe someone will listen to J LO and then stop applauding when a soldier takes a bullet to the brain or another 9 11 happens and every one is dancing? I say.. ALMATTI. Take a poll. Go somewhere and talk to Americans. Ask them if having a radio station in another country playing american music is a vile act. Then ask them to tell you how they feel about FOREIGN AID. They most likely will tell you that they don't want their money supporting RADIO stations or aid in general. What would happen if the USA pulled the plug on all aid.. Heck , lets stop giving lottery visas and just close the doors. We can't . We have to be NICE and generous. I don't know why. They hate us anyway. Have you ever tried to be nice to someone who was abusing you ? What about being nice to someone you are helping and they are so nasty to you? Its really hard. I would'nt want to be a diplomat, I tell you that.

I just laugh at some of the stuff people who are newcomers come up with to justify some simmering hatred of being here. My dad served in WW 2 and lost half of his leg so people can bash and abuse our country. Obviously, we do SOMETHING right here in the USA. Otherwise no one would immigrate here. Maybe you don't find what I have to say POLITICALLY correct. But its how I feel. I could care less if some freaks started broadcasting here. I don't listen when I don't like stuff.

Gees.... I voted for NONE OF THE ABOVE

dc : Thanks for sharing.

There are a lot more questions (important questions) that need to be answered.

In most part of the world, spectrum (airwaves) is considered to be the property of the people. So, if this belief is indeed applicable to Morocco, then the following questions are appropriate and therefore should be raised with Mr. Conniff.

How did SAWA come to life?
How was it negotiated?
What were the terms of the contract?
Is SAWA related to the overall FTA?
Was this discussed in the Moroccan parliament?
Were the Moroccan people consulted in any way in this decision?

That is enough for now.

Thank you

Total Comments:12 Showing: 1-12

Dialogues allows Moroccans and friends of Morocco to express their views on any current issue or situation that could spark a discussion among Wafiners. People from all walks of life are encouraged to submit their views. All submissions must be concise, addressed to a broad audience, and written in good, idiomatic English. Submit all articles to info@wafin.com.

About Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use Advertise on Wafin.com Spread the Word Site Map