Ashams Radio
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 | |
| |
| Frequencies | 98.1 and 101 MHz |
|---|---|
| Programming | |
| Language | Arabic |
| Format | News/talk |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Karam Group |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Live Streaming |
| Website | ashams |
Ashams Radio (Arabic: إذاعة الشمس), also known as Radio Al-Shams, is an independent Arabic-language radio station headquartered in Nazareth. It launched on July 25, 2003, and continues broadcasting to this day on 98.1 and 101 FM, as well as through digital platforms.
The station is owned by the Karam Group and operates an independent news system broadcasting 18 news bulletins daily. Its staff includes more than 100 journalists, correspondents, and media professionals across various fields. The broadcast schedule features talk shows, entertainment, economics, and sports programs.[citation needed]
In 2007, the station secured a permanent seat on the Israeli Press Council. Until 2020, it was the only independent radio station under Arab ownership serving Palestinian citizens of Israel. In 2023, its audience share exceeded 61% according to the official report of the Israeli Broadcasting Authority.[1][2][3]
In 2014, Adalah Legal Center, in cooperation with the Mada al-Carmel media center, petitioned the Israeli Supreme Court against a decision by the Second Authority for Television and Radio to suspend Ashams Radio's broadcast during Yom Kippur. The petition argued that imposing a broadcast blackout violated the rights of both the station's owners and its listeners, and amounted to forcing Jewish religious holidays upon Arab society — a measure inconsistent with the law. The court issued an interim injunction permitting the station to continue broadcasting during Yom Kippur that year, while reserving judgment on the broader legal question.[4]
In 2015, the Israel Democracy Institute published a book titled Ashams Radio: At the Intersection of Regulation, Politics, and Economics, which examines the station's exceptional position within the Israeli media landscape, analyzing its content, editorial policy, and relationship with the state.[5]
Staff and presenters
Ashams Radio's team includes journalists and presenters specializing in news, talk programs, and sports. Jacky Khoury has headed the news department since 2009, while Mustafa Shala'ta has presented morning programs since the station's launch in 2003.
Notable team members include Zahra Said, Aseel Farhat, and Adham Habib Allah in news presenting; Yasmine Ghamid and Aseel Kabha in editing and presenting; and Nabil Salameh, Darid Lidawi, and Layla Qaysh in specialist programs. The station is led by Badi Karam as CEO, a licensed attorney holding an MBA from INSEAD.