BBC Monitoring

Text of report by Omani newspaper Times of Oman website on 22 May

    A new phase in the broadcasting history of Oman begins today. Hala 102.7 FM will be launched as the first privately-owned FM station in the Sultanate. Hala 102.7 FM will be officially inaugurated by His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said, adviser to His Majesty the Sultan, in the presence of members of the royal family, ministers and a number of distinguished guests from Oman and abroad.

    The station will broadcast round the clock in Arabic on the frequency 102.7 FM. The programmes will cater to all age groups of the Omani community, but the main focus will be on the youth, their ambitions and goals. The staff will be young and dynamic, reflecting the personality of the station, which will support Omani talent in all walks of life. The programming will be wide and varied and will unfold in stages. In addition, the station will feature the latest Arabic and Gulf hits and will be the launch pad for upcoming Arab singers.

    Source: Times of Oman website, Muscat, in Arabic 22 May 07