DW relaunched its channel for the Arab world yesterday, with a new focus on dialogue and programming in Arabic. Audiences from Morocco to Oman can tune in to DW-TV ARABIA for a six-hour block in Arabic – always in primetime. English-language programming will complete the channel’s 24-hour line-up. Up until now, the schedule alternated hourly between Arabic, or German with Arabic subtitles, and English.

This is just a continuation of DW’s strategy of introducing new, regionalized productions to help improve the connection to its viewers around the world.

Along with new Arabic versions of DW’s shows GLOBAL 3000 and Arts.21, the new DW-TV ARABIA also features four new talk shows, each focusing on different facets of society.

• Shababtalk is a co-production with Al Hayah TV, the leading station in Egypt. Young representatives from the democratic movement in Egypt join in on discussions with their German counterparts from youth organizations, political parties and other associations.
• On the Pulse brings Arab and German experts together to discuss issues related to democratization, politics, economics, the role of the government, justice and religion.
• Talking to the Press is a roundtable discussion with German and European editors-in-chief and their Arab colleagues.
• Guest of the Week offers the chance for public figures to come into the studio to discuss current developments in the Arab World.

DW also launched its new YouTube channel for Arabic yesterday, making its Arabic content available online to viewers around the world.