Nearly half the residents surveyed in Iraq’s three largest cities tune in to Radio Sawa on a weekly basis, a new survey shows. Radio Sawa is a new Arabic-language station funded by the United States government.
D3 Systems Inc., of Vienna, Va., conducted the survey in Baghdad, Mosul and Basra. Baghdad is Iraq’s largest city with about 5.6 million people; followed by Mosul, 1.7 million; and Basra, 1.3 million.
According to the survey, 43% of adults respondents in Baghdad listen to Radio Sawa, 46% in Mosul, and 69% in Basra. More than 50% of the women surveyed listen to Radio Sawa weekly. A similar figure was seen for those under age 30 and for those having a secondary education or higher.
Researchers for the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees all U.S. nonmilitary international broadcasting including Radio Sawa, said the survey data should be considered preliminary but indicative of current international radio use.
The survey also showed Radio Monte Carlo enjoying an average listenership in Iraq of 39.2%; the British Broadcasting Corporation, 30.4%; and Radio Free Iraq, 10.3%. RFI is run by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which is an entity of the BBG.
One thousand listeners took part in the survey.
Radio Sawa Is Number One In Iraq, New Survey Shows
Radio Sawa Is Number One In Iraq, New Survey Shows
