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UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM MEMORANDUM INTERIEUR

TO: The Secretary- DATE: 24 March 1997 A: _ -nr REFERENCE: THROUGH: Mr. Iqbal Riza n (g n 1 W H ' s/c DE: Chef de Cabinet "ol p 1 5I99T E ® E 0 W E Pi FROM: Satnir Sanbar w\ !. 1 \ 7L. \. i ™"^"^""^M | DE: Assistant for Public InJ&Srmation EOSG/CENTRAL MAR 2 4 1997

EXECUT'VF. OFF'CE SUBJECT: International Live Broadcast with the Secretary-General __. OBJET:

1. The Department of Public Information/ has mobilized eight major international and regional networks in five regions of the world for a one-hour question-and-answerJive international broadcast with the Secretary- General on 2 April. In this unprecedented event, most broadcasting networks have agreed to pre-empt their regular programming on that day to carry the interview with Secretary- General live to their domestic and international audiences as a courtesy to the Secretary-- General and to the United Nations. They have all designated top-ranking correspondents and editors to put questions to the Secretary-General. Additionally, arrangements are being made to carry the broadcast live as a sound file on the for users in North America and the rest of the world.

2. This live broadcast will bring the voice and views of the Secretary-General to millions of listeners in Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe simultaneously. All participating radio networks have confirmed the date and hour of the international broadcast and have amended their programme schedule accordingly. Some of them have made advance announcement to their audiences; others have made expressions of gratitude for being selected to participate in this interview with the Secretary-General. Some non- oriented networks are making arrangements for on-air simultaneous interpretation of this special broadcast to their domestic audiences. The Voice of America (VOA) is enthusiastically supporting this live broadcast and are providing their technical facilities to make it possible.

3. Confirmed participants in this live international broadcast include: and Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (Africa); All Radio and Japan Broadcasting Corporation, NHK (Asia), Australia Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Australia; and Radio Netherlands (Europe) and the Voice of America (USA). Technical staff of the United Nations are working with the Voice of America and counterparts in participating radio networks to finalize the and broadcasting facilities for this project. -2-

4. I believe that, on the one hand, this live broadcast provides a unique opportunity to present, simultaneously, the views and comments of the Secretary-General to a worldwide listenership through the powerful medium of radio. On the other, to cancel ojiJ^tP0116 this one-hour_event at this late stajejafter all preparations have beenjnade and commitments secured, would.havejiegatiye mjjlications for the United Nations and cause a loss of credibility for the Department of Public Information.

5. I hope that the Secretary-General can help us meet the commitment that has been made to those media organizations in order to maintain the credibility and prestige of the United Nations.