Training provided by Japan for the Al-Muthanna TV Station

August 30, 2004

1. The Government of Japan will conduct training on broadcasting skill from September 6 (Monday) to October 8 (Friday) with the cooperation of the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) to 11 staff of the Al-Muthanna TV Station. The station is based in the Governorate of Al-Muthanna in the southern part of Iraq and broadcasts programs throughout the Governorate.
   
   
2. The training will be conducted in the areas of planning, reporting, filming and editing for staff of the Al-Muthanna TV Station, which is the public TV station and leading news agency of the Governorate of Al-Muthanna. The purpose of the training is to comprehensively improve the skill of the station and will be conducted as a part of the training programs held by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The training is expected to contribute to the dissemination of information as well as the creation of quality programs that will play an active part in forming public opinion in Iraq's local communities.
   
   Furthermore, the Government of Japan has already decided to provide filming equipment such as cameras for reporting and editing equipment including video cassette recorders to the Al-Muthanna TV Station. Through the training, the station is expected to acquire skills on operating and maintaining the equipment provided and thereby improve the efficiency of Japan's assistance.
   
   
3. Three of the 11 trainees are scheduled to remain in Japan for two weeks after the training has been completed and report on the themes of "Japan's post-war reconstruction" and "Japan's early childhood education." After returning to Iraq, the Al-Muthanna TV Station reporting team intends to broadcast the content of its coverage taken in various regions of Japan as a two-part feature program on Japan.