Cairo Metro launches new Nogoum FM radio station

CAIRO – 19 May 2017: In a step to develop the Cairo Metro services, Nile Radio Production Company – owner of Nogoum FM radio station – launched on Thursday the new “Nogoum FM Metro” for Cairo’s metro riders.

The region’s one of kind service was created in cooperation with Kemet Radio, which currently manages the broadcast of the only radio station in Cairo Metro’s three lines.
Minister of Transport Hisham Arafat said the new radio station comes in the framework of the ministry’s strategy to develop the vital facility and target various segments within the community, which would contribute to increasing revenues.

He revealed that the ministry seeks to expand the number of metro riders to 6 million people by June 2022, after the government completes the final phase of Cairo Metro Line 3 and first phase of Line 4.

For his part, Nogoum FM Radio general manager Ramy Mohsen said the new station’s programming plan will be divided into three phases; the first has started already by broadcasting the same programs of Nogoum FM in metro stations’ platforms and inside the trains, and it will last until Ramadan.

The second phase, during Ramadan and Eid el-Fitr, will include the broadcast of Nogoum FM’s special programs for the holy month produced by Nile Radio. The third phase will witness presenting new programs separated from the original radio station, targeting the metro passengers. These proposed programs would be broadcasted from a new studio in the radio company.

Kemet Radio used to focus on socially-oriented programs tackling specific topics such as Egyptian folklore and culture; however, the new radio station will present interactive programs including “vox pop” with random metro passengers within the metro stations, Mohsen added.

The government has recently increased the metro ticket price to 2 EGP, saying that the service incurs losses of around 500m EGP, which put the network at risk, state-owned newspaper Al Ahram reported.

The move comes four months after the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) floated the local exchange rate under an economic reform program, which led the currency to lose half its value and increase most commodities and services’ prices.