| Voice of Iraq إذاعة صوت العراق | |
| City: | Baghdad |
| Format: | News, current affairs and music |
| Language: | Arabic, Iraqi Turkish |
| Affiliations: | International Agency for Free Media |
The Voice of Iraq (ar|إذاعة صوت العراق lit: Idha'atu Sawt Il-Iraq) is a privately owned radio station in Iraq that has broadcast since August 27, 2003.[1] It broadcasts in Arabic, Iraqi Turkish and English on 1179 kHz medium wave in Baghdad and nearby towns including Ba'qubah and Fallujah to an area with 12 million inhabitants.[2] Voice of Iraq is supervised by the International Agency for Free Media, which is a media institution that was active abroad during the Saddam Hussein regime and covered Iraqi news via the Internet.[3] [4]
The editorial policy of the Voice of Iraq is supportive of national unity, on the basis that Arabs, Kurds and Turkomans, Assyrians should have equal rights.[5] [6] Programmes include news reports and panel discussions of current affairs, combined with Shi'a religious and patriotic songs.[7] [8]
Prior to the formation of "Voice of Iraq" in 2003, the name had been used previously by several radio stations including an English language FM station owned by Uday Hussein.[9] There were also an Egyptian Government funded radio station that operated between 1958 and 1959, which advocated pan-Arabism and supported Abdul Karim Qassim.[10] In addition there was another radio station that operated in 1959 that was a black propaganda effort that mimicked the pro-Qassim station but attacked his government and was widely considered to be U.S. funded.[11]
The Voice of Iraq radio station should also not be confused with the independent daily Iraqi newspaper with the similar name Sawt al-Iraq (Voice of Iraq) which launched in 2002.[12] [13]