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African Listeners on Ebola WhatsApp

Ten thousand people subscribed to the 麻豆官网首页入口鈥檚 Ebola information service on WhatsApp this week. But is it reaching the places that need it most?

This week the 麻豆官网首页入口 World Service launched an Ebola information service using the smartphone chat app WhatsApp. Public health messages, audio clips and pictures are delivered directly to smartphones. It is an effort to reach people who are not already accessing the 麻豆官网首页入口鈥檚 radio and tv broadcasts and other online sources of information about ebola. But is it reaching those who need it most? Rajan Datar invites two Over to You listeners from either side of Africa to speak to Trushar Barot, the head of Chat Apps for the 麻豆官网首页入口 World Service, and tell Trushar what they think.

And we hear from a listener who recalls when radio drama was a regular part of the World Service schedule, before budget constraints made drama a rare listening treat for her. But despite the cuts, the International Radio Playwriting Competition remained. This week the three winners of the 2014 competition arrived at the 麻豆官网首页入口鈥檚 Broadcasting House in London to see their work being recorded. Ana Gonzalez Bello made the journey from Mexico to see her play Diablo and Romina, Alana Valentine travelled from Australia for the recording of The Ravens, and Virginia Jekanyika came from Zimbabwe to record The Cactus Flowers. Over to You goes behind the scenes with Virginia and asks her why she thinks radio drama is so important.

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Mon 27 Oct 2014 03:50GMT

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