DUSHANBE, July 1, 2008, Asia-Plus — BBC’s Persian Service radio stopped broadcast of Central Asian news bulletin to Tajikistan on June 30.
Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, Mr. Inoyat Foni, an editor-in-chief of the BBC’s Persian Service radio, said that newly established website BBC Tajikistan will perform Central Asian news bulletin’s functions in the future. Besides, a Persian-speaking BBC television will begin working before the end of this year, according to Foni.
“We have come to the conclusion that the Persian-speaking television will gradually take radio’s place, and therefore, we have decided to reduce the number of programs within the BBC’s Persian Service,” Foni said.
He added that they will always pay proper attention to Tajikistan and events taking place in the country and Tajikistan page on the BBC website will be upgraded into separate website dedicated to Tajikistan only.
Office of BBC’s Persian office was opened in Dushanbe in 1993. The BBC has been broadcasting in Tajikistan since 1996 on medium wave. In 2004, the BBC launched two 24-hour FM relays, in Dushanbe and Khujand, with programs in Tajik (Persian); as well broadcasts in Russian and English. A special program, Central Asian news bulletin, which covered events in Tajikistan, went on the air in the country in 1997.
