Long Stifled, Iraqis Make Most of Chance to Vent on Talk Radio

[Rose Siding]

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 26 - A housewife calls to talk about a broken sewer pipe. A student calls to talk about a lost love. A shopkeeper calls to say what he thinks of the violent insurgency that has swept his country.

The callers have reached Iraq's first talk radio station, Radio Dijla, which opened in April and has been putting Iraqis' opinions directly on the air, mainlining democracy from a two-story villa in central Baghdad for 19 hours a day.

In all, about 15 private radio stations have sprung up since the American occupation began, but Dijla, Arabic for Tigris, is the first to serve only talk. The station is one of the most listened-to in Baghdad, according to its employees, a claim that appears to have merit, judging by its broad following among the city's taxi drivers, housewives, students and late-night listeners, who tune in to a night talk show about relationships.

The station receives an average of 185 calls an hour, far more than it can handle, according to its owner, Ahmed al-Rakabi, who said he planned to purchase more telephone lines to accommodate callers.

http://nytimes.com/2004/08/31/international/middleeast/31radio.html?hp

[patdem]

1. lush rimalibaba??? Reight Wing Talk Radio in Iraq???

'Private radion stations'...read...CONTROLLED BY PROFIT (REMEMBER THESE ARE NOT OWNED BY IRAQIES) RADIO STATIONS???

[patdem]

2. This is TOO much..a wife calls about a broken sewer pipe..never mind

it is broken from her house through all of Baghdad and into Basra...oops...?? this is so pathetic!

[Disturbed]

3. al Sadr..

should start a station. ;)

[Javaman]

4. You are on Sadr live...

Sadr: "go ahead first caller.."

Caller:"long time listener, first time caller..."

Sadr: "go ahead, you have the power of allah on your side"

Caller: "so I have a problem with my girlfriend"

Sadr: "okay, oy...I was the leader of a revolt a week ago and now I'm reduced to this! Eh hmm, sorry, go ahead, what's the matter with your girlfriend?"

Caller: "she says that she doesn't want to wear her vail any longer? What am I do?"

Sadr: "it's the Americans fault!! The poison our lives and rule our country with a puppet gov't!! they expect us to bow down and be good sheep!!! Ohhh, ugh! sorry, tell her to be a good muslim and wear the vail. Thank you next caller"

Caller 2: "all hail allah!

Sadr: "yeah yeah, hail hail...What's your problem?"

Caller: 2 "I have a problem with my girlfriend?"

Sadr: "what is the matter with you people? We are being occupied by a foriegn nation!!! And all you want to talk about is your relationship problems...we need to cut to a word from our sponcer...(off mic) what? I'm not going to read this...contract???? my blood is my contract!!! oy vey....okay, I'll read, I'll read...(back to mic) Ladies are you having female problems?"