Mali to air North American broadcasts

BAMAKO, Mali, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Mali's national broadcasting authority says it plans to start airing satellite television broadcasts covering North America.

The Office de la Radio et Television du Mali announced this week the initiation of "free-to-air" satellite television broadcasts over the North American region.

The upcoming schedule, principally in French, includes news, sports, art and cultural programming.

The official establishment of the ORTM-TV channel in North America is to be inaugurated in a ceremony with more than 250 invited guests Saturday at the Ramada Philadelphia Airport in Essington/Philadelphia.

Among those expected to attend are Malian government representatives, including Toumani Toure, president of the Republic of Mali; Diarra Diallo, the minister of Communication and New Information Technology; and Abdoulaye Diop, the ambassador of the Embassy of Mali.