Australia’s first ever multi-language commercial broadcaster Niche Radio has teamed with 2ME to launch a new afternoon timeslot for Australia’s large Arabic speaking community. Niche Radio broadcasts Rete Italia into all states on its network of mostly AM narrowcast licences. It will now add Arabic to its drive timeslot.

In the key 3pm to 5pm shift, Arabic broadcaster 2ME will take live Drivetime content to 29 new locations on Niche Radio. 2ME has been broadcasting in Sydney and Melbourne for almost 20 years, and the deal with Rete Italia now gives it national coverage.

Just like the English language commercial networks that 2ME is modelled on, Arabic listeners will hear the latest national news, weather, talkback, traffic and music from the Middle East and Australia.

Sid Merhi, managing director of 2ME Australia has told radioinfo:

“The Arabic speaking communities in Australia need news and information in their first language.  They want news from more than 20 Arabic speaking countries and news from Australia.  Our national competitors, SBS Radio will not be supplying news after 8am so Niche Radio and 2ME will fill that gap for one of the largest and fastest growing communities in Australia.”

Listeners will hear 2ME on AM and FM frequencies in:

_{Capitals:  Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra, Darwin and Hobart}

_{VIC            Mildura; Swan Hill; Shepparton; Wangaratta;}

_{NSW         Gosford (Newcastle Central Coast); Yass; Wollongong; Griffith;}

_{QLD           Atherton; Ingham; Gold Coast; Caloundra; Toowoomba; Gladstone; Rockhampton; Mackay;}

_{TAS           Launceston; Devonport}

_{NT             Palmerston WA Albany; Esperance; Kalgoorlie}

_{SA              Mount Gambier}

Some of these listeners will be hearing Australian content in Arabic for the very first time. 

“The Arabic speaking community is the largest non-English speaking population in New South Wales and has grown to almost 300,000 people nationally according to last year’s census. Outside of the main centres, they have struggled for services in Arabic.”  said Daniel Laforest, General Manager of media representative agency Spots and Space. 

“Niche Radio in partnering with 2ME and giving the national drive timeslot to the Arabic speaking community provides a wonderful opportunity for any business that wants to sell to a large and influential group of Australians.”