Category: World Service
Date: 28.09.2005
Printable version
HRH The Princess Royal switched on the new BBC 105.9 FM in Dili, East Timor today.
The ceremony marked the start of a long term partnership between the BBC and East Timor's national broadcaster Radio and Televisao Timor Leste (RTTL) who own and maintain the FM site.
Listeners in the capital, Dili, can now hear BBC programmes in English and Portuguese.
Nigel Chapman, Director of BBC World Service, said: "The BBC is delighted and honoured that The Princess Royal was able to launch this important partnership as part of her state visit.
"RTTL is the world's most recently established public broadcaster and since the BBC is the world's oldest and most renowned international broadcaster, this partnership is ideal.
"We look forward to working closely together to serve audiences in Dili."
Michelle Rowland, Business Development Executive, Australasia, BBC World Service, added: "We are pleased that listeners in Dili can now enjoy programmes in perfect sound quality.
"This new agreement is a crucial step in consolidating our already good relationship with RTTL, who will continue to provide us with first class technical and management assistance of BBC 105.9 FM.
"In turn the BBC is pleased to provide RTTL with some training for staff and equipment allowing them to record and archive East Timorese music and culture in the studio and on location."
Virgilio da Silva Guterres, General Director of RTTL, said: "I am delighted that the co-operation between RTTL and BBC is formally launched.
"This relationship will help RTTL in many ways as the national public broadcaster within East Timor's evolving democracy."
Notes to Editors
BBC Portuguese brings up-to-date news and information to Lusophone Africa including Angola, Mozambique, S.Tomé and Principe, Guiné Bissau and Cape Verde.
Further text and audio can be found at bbcparaafrica.com.
BBC World Service is an international radio and online broadcaster delivering programmes and services in numerous languages.
It uses multiple platforms to reach 149 million listeners globally, including SW, AM, FM, digital satellite and cable channels.
It has more than 2,000 partner radio stations which take BBC content, and numerous partnerships supplying content to mobile phones.
Its international online sites include audio and visual content and offer users opportunities to interact directly with world events. They receive more than 330 million page impressions a month.
