Harb replaced by Register at Alhurra
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 Mouafac Harb, Vice President of Network News for Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN), a US Government-funded entity that manages both the Alhurra satellite TV station and the Radio Sawa radio network, has stepped down “to pursue private media projects,” according to an MBN news release.
He was replaced by Larry Register, a veteran journalist whose 25 years of experience include three years as CNN’s Jerusalem bureau chief.
Harb’s resignation comes a month after a scathing report from the US General Accounting Office found that MBN lacked “a comprehensive, long-term strategic plan” and criticized its reported audience statistics. “It is not clear whether the Radio Sawa and Alhurra performance targets have been met,” said the report’s abstract, “because of weaknesses in MBN’s survey methodology and documentation. The BBG [Broadcasting Board of Governors] did not take certain steps that could have explained and increased the reliability of its estimates.” An MBN representative told MEB Journal that the GAO report and the change in management were totally unrelated, and that MBN stands by the findings of AC Nielsen, which conducted the audience surveys.
Harb joined Radio Sawa in 2002 as news director, and added responsibility for Alhurra when it went on the air in 2003. According to the MBN release, he “was a key member of the team that developed the channel strategy, branding and identity,” and “will continue as a consultant to MBN as he pursues new media opportunities.”
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