In a telephone survey of satellite television households in major cities across the region, IPSOS-STAT, the well-respected French research company, found that more than a third (34 percent) of Arabic-speakers over the age of 15 watched Alhurra in a typical week.

This compares with 23 percent in a similar IPSOS-STAT survey conducted in the same cities in the spring of 2004.

There are an estimated total of 98 million weekly satellite television viewers over the age of 15 in the Middle East representing 52 percent of the 15-plus population of the region.

This survey is the latest in a series of research studies from independent companies that regularly measure Alhurra.

The IPSOS-STAT survey also shows Alhurra TV is reaching 40 percent of the weekly audience of Al-Jazeera, the region's most popular news channel.

One reason is that Alhurra's viewers increasingly see the channel's news as credible. The IPSOS-STAT survey shows that 61 percent of Alhurra's weekly audience considers its news "reliable." This compares with 50 percent in the spring 2004 survey.

"This is very encouraging, it's obvious that Alhurra programming is resonating with its audience. With reliable and credible news and information, the network is clearly a player in the Middle East media scene," said Norman

J. Pattiz, Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governor's Middle East Committee.

"The results of this survey, conducted in the weeks right after Alhurra's extensive coverage of the Iraqi election, are a continuing indication that the channel is attracting a sizable audience, particularly in the biggest cities across the Middle East."

The IPSOS-STAT survey was conducted in Cairo and Alexandria (Egypt), Riyadh and Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Damascus and Aleppo (Syria), Beirut (Lebanon), Amman, Irbid and Zarka (Jordan), Abu Dhabi and Dubai (United Arab Emirates), and Kuwait City (Kuwait) in February 2005.

The sample size of the survey was 3511; the margin of error is two percent.

"The results of this telephone poll are a most encouraging trend," said Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors.

Alhurra, launched in February 2004, is one of the newest and most technologically advanced channels in the increasingly crowded Middle Eastern satellite television market.

The 24-hour Arabic-language channel broadcasts a diverse schedule of news, talk shows, debates, documentaries as well as entertaining information programs on a wide variety of subjects from sports to fashion to technology. The channel can be seen in 22 countries via Arabsat and Nilesat.

Alhurra is operated by The Middle East Television Network (MTN), a non-profit corporation. MTN is financed by the U.S. Government through a grant from the BBG, an independent federal agency. The BBG provides oversight and serves as a firewall to protect the professional independence and integrity of the broadcasters.

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