EDC-SRS Quarterly Report; Award No. Associated Cooperative Agreement HDA-A-00-03 0015 00

In the second quarter of 2012, SRS continued to play a vital role in disseminating information on key issues affecting the country. Much of the news reported by SRS during this quarter focused on inter-tribal conflicts in Jonglei State, the shutdown of oil pipelines, and clashes between the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) in border areas. SRS newscasts and programs covered a wide range of topics, including politics, government, economy, health, agriculture, and culture. A special series of programs on the inter-tribal conflicts in Jonglei State garnered significant listener participation, with both call-in and SMS messaging receiving a high response. The programs also featured government officials and leaders of civil society organizations, achieving solid listener involvement. A consultant visit by a news and programming expert proved beneficial to the SRS programming and news staff, leading to changes in the daily and weekly program schedules to increase audience retention and overall program flow. The new automation system, introduced in the previous quarter, has successfully kept SRS FM on the air 24 hours a day. The SRS sales staff signed 14 new advertising contracts with local commercial firms, NGOs, and international organizations, while specifications for a new drama studio were completed. The studio will provide an additional stream of income and enable the production of more complex dramas and programs, attracting new advertisers. Specifications for the repeater and translator equipment system were also completed, with a new SRS Chief Engineer scheduled to begin installation in the third quarter. SRS had broadcast a total of 3,075 Civic Education messages by the end of the second quarter, with an annual target of 3,200. Five non-state media outlets quoted SRS stories this quarter, with 241 stories being referenced. This indicates a high level of quality in SRS news, with the outlet serving as a reliable source of information for the public. The Certificate in Broadcast Journalism program, led by a new leadership team, achieved the highest level of potential enrollment ever. However, the closure of Juba University has delayed the start of the new term. Despite this setback, SRS continues to play a vital role in promoting education and journalism in South Sudan. In terms of monitoring and evaluation, SRS has implemented various measures to ensure data quality, including new staff training and monitoring of geographic news coverage. The outlet has also established a feedback forum to gather input from listeners and stakeholders. The quarterly report highlights the progress made by SRS in the second quarter of 2012, with a focus on key achievements, challenges, and future plans. The report also includes financial information, including a cash flow report and financial projections, as well as budget details. Annexes to the report provide additional information on success stories, a schedule of future events, and SRS stories by geographic region. Overall, the report provides a comprehensive overview of SRS's activities and achievements in the second quarter of 2012.