Audio content from the United Nations now available on mobile platforms in Brazil, South Africa, Ukraine, and Switzerland

New York, NY (March 10, 2014) – AudioNow, the world’s leading call-to-listen platform, and the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) today announced that audio content from the United Nations including news and features as well as live coverage, is now accessible by phone in Brazil, South Africa, Switzerland, and Ukraine. Based on an agreement signed by both parties, the service began in the U.S. in 2013 and will continue to open in additional countries in the year ahead.

Listeners can access UN Audio content – including radio programmes, news bulletins and features stories, interviews, daily press briefings and live coverage of many UN General Assembly and Security Council meetings – by simply dialing in a local access phone number on any landline or mobile device. This service does not require a smartphone or apps and it uses voices minutes rather than data plans, making it the least expensive way to access such content. As data costs continue to rise on mobile devices, and as feature phones remain in high use in many parts of the world, this kind of call-to-listen platform is emerging as one of the most affordable ways for listeners to connect to their favorite broadcasters and organizations.

“We are excited to join forces with AudioNow to make it easier for people to access UN programming,” says Mr. Stéphane Dujarric, Director of the News and Media Division at the United Nations. “This collaboration is an example of an innovative and cost effective way to take UN stories and issues directly to audiences worldwide in multiple languages.”

In Brazil, South Africa and Switzerland, listeners can now access daily UN Radio news in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish as well as audio from TV features and live briefings and meetings coverage in multiple languages. In Ukraine, listeners can now access daily UN Radio News in English and Russian. Recent UN Audio coverage includes developments in the world hot spots such as Syria, Ukraine and Venezuela as well as stories on important issues like AIDS, trafficking, press freedom and gender equality. The call-to-listen phone numbers incur no extra charge and are the equivalent of making a standard mobile call.

“Our mission is to enable anyone, anywhere to connect to the news that matters with just a simple phone call,” says Mr. Elan Blutinger, Chairman and CEO of AudioNow. “UN audio programs play a tremendous role in updating people on the ground and providing information critical to the UN’s mandates. We’re honored to expand the UN’s reach to mobile phones now in South America, Africa, and Europe, after our recent launch in the United States. In Ukraine in particular, we see this as an urgent time for news and access.”

The complete listing of UN in-language programming currently available is as follows:

UN Arabic:

South Africa: +27 (0) 10.590.4595

Switzerland: +41 (0) 43.508.3782

Brazil: +55 (0) 61.404.21912

U.S.: 712.432.9912

UN Chinese:

South Africa: +27 (0) 10.590.45.94

Switzerland: +41 (0) 43.508.3781

Brazil: +55 (0) 61.404.219.11

U.S.: 712.432.9911

UN English:

South Africa: +27 (0) 10.590.4593

Switzerland: +41 (0) 43.508.3615

Brazil: +55 (0) 11.323.020.10

Ukraine: +380 8.932.024.83

U.S.: 712.432.9910

UN French:

South Africa: +27 (0) 10.590.4596

Switzerland: +41 (0) 43.508.3783

Brazil: +55 (0) 61.404.219.13

U.S.: 712.432.9913

UN Kiswahili:

South Africa: +27 (0) 10.590.4599

Switzerland: +41 (0) 43.508.3786

Brazil: +55 (0) 61.404.219.16

U.S.: 712.432.9916

UN Portuguese:

South Africa: +27 (0) 10.590.4600

Switzerland: +41 (0) 43.508.3787

Brazil: +55 (0) 61.404.21917

U.S.: 712.432.9917

UN Russian:

South Africa: +27 (0) 10.590.4597

Switzerland: +41 (0) 43.508.3784

Brazil: +55 (0) 61.404.21914

Ukraine: +380 8.932.024.84

U.S.: 712.432.9914

UN Spanish:

South Africa: +27 (0) 10.590.4598

Switzerland: +41 (0) 43.508.3785

Brazil: +55 (0) 61.404.219.15

U.S.: 712.432.9915

AudioNow is providing its services to the UN on a pro bono basis.

For more information about AudioNow and their collaboration with the UN, please contact Alexandra Moe at alexandra.moe@audionow.com or 202-621-2284. At the UN, please contact the Partnerships Unit, News and Media Division, DPI at mediapartnerships@un.org or 917-367-5007. You can also visit the UN Multimedia website at http://www.unmultimedia.org/audio_by_phone.html.

ABOUT AUDIONOW

AudioNow, based in Washington, DC, is the leading call-to-listen platform in the world. With broadcast partners on every continent, AudioNow extends the reach of radio by connecting mobile listeners to their favorite radio stations through a simple telephone call. The AudioNow platform uses proprietary “HD” voice design and patent-pending technology that serves all mobile platforms. AudioNow has more than 1,500 broadcast partners, including global leaders such as the United Nations, BBC, RFI, Voice of America, Entravision, C-SPAN and IMG College. In 2013 AudioNow delivered 2 billion listening minutes to its broadcast partners, in 76 different languages, and connected users 84 million times to its platform.