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Learning by Ear for Pakistan embraced by local partners

September 4, 2012

More than 60 radio stations throughout Pakistan are partnering with Deutsche Welle (DW) to broadcast the award-winning educational program Learning by Ear starting this September.

https://p.dw.com/p/162VL
Learning by Ear - Urdu Copyright: DW
Image: DW

DW is teaming up with 63 FM radio stations throughout Pakistan to broadcast DW's Learning by Ear program in Urdu and Pashto. Learning by Ear is a distance education program comprising radio dramas in soap format targeting young Pakistanis.

Fifty-three Pakistani stations are initially set to begin broadcasting the program, with ten more joining up in the coming months. Learning by Ear will reach more than 90 percent of radio listeners in Pakistan, which has a total of about 120 independent radio stations.

"We are thrilled that so many Pakistani stations wanted to broadcast Learning by Ear," said DW’s Head of Distribution for Asia, Anne Hufnagel. "We hope it will enhance their programming line-up, and win some new fans for DW."

DW will send Learning by Ear content to partner stations via CD. Learning by Ear covers topics from children's rights, the importance of education, and family planning to conflict resolution. Each series contains five ten-minute long installments.

Pakistani fans of Learning by Ear will be able to participate in quizzes staged by partner stations, as well as receive supplementary books provided through DW's distribution office in Pakistan.

Learning by Ear began in Africa in 2008, and launched in Dari and Pashto in Afghanistan in 2010. The program has won a number of German and international awards, including "Most Creative Radio Format" from the Association for International Broadcasting in 2009.

Along with Anne Hufnagel, Alexander Freund, Head of DW's Asia Department, was in Islamabad to officially announce the start of Learning by Ear for Pakistan at a press conference. FM 100 Pakistan, one of Pakistan's leading FM networks, is the first DW partner to start broadcasting the series.

DW will also make Learning by Ear for Pakistan available to NGOs, educational institutions and other organizations in Pakistan  in the coming months. 

DW began radio broadcasting in Urdu to Pakistan back in 1964. In the last few years DW has built up a network of over 50 premium partners throughout the country who rebroadcast background features about sports, health, Germany and Europe, the environment, lifestyle and science. DW also provides bulletins of world news to several stations. Since May 2008 DW has been providing a comprehensive selection of world, European and regional news and background reports on its website at www.dw.de/urdu.