Skip to content
  • Image
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Podcasts
  • Email
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Contact
The Arab Daily News

The Arab Daily News

Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem

  • About
    • About
    • Our Writers
    • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
    • Book Store
    • Contact
    • Submit Book Reviews, Press Releases
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Corrections Policy
    • Profile on Ray Hanania
    • Submit Press Release
  • Features
    • Food
    • Book Review
    • Humor
    • Movies
    • Travel
  • Arab Stores Targeted
  • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Heritage America resources
    • Directory
      • Groups & Organizations
      • Mosques, Churches
      • Restaurants
      • 2008 & 2014 Arab Media Directories
    • National Arab Heritage Month
    • Video: Chicago Arab History
    • Video: Photo Array of Chicago Arabs
    • Overview of Arabs in America
    • Hanania standup comedy
    • Arabs on the Titanic
    • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • Arab News Ray Hanania Radio
    • Arab Radio Podcast intro
    • Radio Baladi Detroit
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Toggle search form
  • photo credit author Nehemia Gershuni-Aylho www.NGPhoto.biz and Wikipedia
    Emergency Court Motions to Stop Elbit Drone Parts Shipment via Frankfurt Airport  Activism
  • American Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh murdered by Israeli soldiers May 11, 2022
    Documentary names soldier it says killed Shireen Abu Akleh in 2022 American Arabs
  • Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ
    Jordan bans 12 news sites for ‘spreading media poison’ following corruption report Arab World
  • CAIR Logo. Council on American Islamic Relations
    CAIR Condemns MIT for banning Class President from Graduation Ceremony over Anti-Genocide speech Activism
  • ADC creates emergency fund to defend people who are being punished for expressing views on the American-sanction violence by Israel in the Gaza Strip. Photo courtesy of ADC
    ADC Condemns ADL, Rep. Torres’ Defamation of Dr. Lara Sheehi Activism
  • UN Special Committee on Israeli practices in occupied territories warns of a second Nakba  Arab World
  • Arab American community liaison Hassan Nijem, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Basta at the Arab American Heritage Month event hosted by Pappas’s office.
    Pappas honors Arab American business and community leaders for Heritage Month Activism
  • 04-28-25 Pappas Arab Heritage Month
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas recognizes Arab American Heritage Month by honoring business and community leaders American Arabs
  • Stuffed Grape Leaves. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    A recipe on how to make Stuffed Grape Leaves with lamb, ox tail and rice American Arabs
  • Andrew Boutros, interim US Attorney Northern District of Illinois. Photo courtesy of the US Attorney's Office
    Andrew S. Boutros Takes Oath of Office as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois American Arabs
  • Israeli massacres of Palestinian civilians March 18 2025
    Palestinians demand investigation of Israeli war crimes in Gaza Strip Arab World
  • Illinois Muslim Action Day April 9 2025
    Illinois Muslim Action Day Policies at April 9 Statehouse News Conference American Arabs
  • Investigation demanded in March 23 massacre of 15 first responders by Israel's military in Rafah
    Investigation demanded into Israel slaughter of First Responder in Rafah on March 23, 2025 Arab World
  • More than a dozen candidates running for various local offices in the Chicagoland suburbs attended an Ifatr dinner Thursday, March 13, 2025 hosted by the Arab American Chamber of Commerce at the Jerusalem Banquet Hall in Bridgeview.
    Candidates promise fairness and engagement at Arab Chamber Iftar event March 13 Activism
  • Orland Fire Protection District, Fiscal Voices, receive endorsement of the Arab American Democracy Coaliton
    Independent candidates for Orland Fire receive Arab and Muslim American endorsement Activism

US Arab Radio celebrates 11th Year

Posted on August 16, 2016October 30, 2018 By rayhanania 1 Comment on US Arab Radio celebrates 11th Year
SHARE ...
          
 
  

  • Tweet

US Arab Radio celebrates its 11th Year as one of the only daily radio program addressing American Arab and Muslim issues. The need to expand and support our American Arab and Muslim media is critical to our community’s effectiveness in this country. Only a few media — the Arab American News and US Arab Radio, both in Detroit — have risen to the level of true professionalism, although many continue to struggle. Here’s a look at one of them

By Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania covering Chicago City Hall (1976-1992)
Ray Hanania
covering Chicago
City Hall
(1976-1992)

Although the American Arab and Muslim community continues to grow, its media continues to remain stagnant, facing weak support from the community and making it difficult to publish on a regular basis.

There are about 100 ethnic newspapers, with only one, The Arab American News, publishing on a weekly basis in Detroit. The remainder publish twice each month of monthly. And, there are only five radio programs, and only one that broadcasts daily, U.S. Arab Radio, also based in Detroit.

The ability to promote a community’s activities and share information while serving as a networking foundation for community discussion is critical to an ethnic community’s empowerment.

Without a strong media, an ethnic community will remain weak and disengaged not only from itself, but also from the mainstream community in which is struggles.

American Arabs and Muslims do not get the support and share of resources they deserve from mainstream American governments and public service organizations, and one reason is that the impact of their media is almost negligible.

US Arab Radio team co-broadcasters
US Arab Radio team co-broadcasters

US Arab Radio was founded in 2005 by Laila Alhusini, a Syrian immigrant and mother of two young adults who are studying and engaged in the medicine and pharmacy professions.

“I immigrated to the United States from Syria in 2001 with my children hoping to start a  new life and work in the field of journalism,” Alhusini explains.

“I practiced journalism at my home country but our freedom of speech is limited as you know in these Middle Eastern countries when compared to the U.S. But, I was surprised to find that the Arab American media in the United States was not as established as I hoped it to be.”

Alhusini said that the absence of a strong Arab media in America made “the challenges and hardships” she faced as a new immigrant with limited English made it that much tougher to overcome.

Laila Alhusini, Arab radio managing editor
Laila Alhusini, Arab radio managing editor

“I faced to acclimate to a new society as a new immigrant without much help. I had language barriers being that I had an English degree but I haven’t practiced communicating in English as my first language so I had to make some serious choices. I chose to put my kid’s futures first and put my higher education aside in order to dedicate my time and efforts to support them so they can succeed,” Alhusini said.

“But I also challenged myself career wise by establishing a radio program named “U.S. Arab Radio” with the dream of connecting Arab Americans with their home countries and building bridges between our countries. I started with a one hour radio program every Thursday addressing our community.”

Alhusini said that the first shows slowly gained an audience and encouragement. 

“We began the show with “Fairouz” a well known and celebrated Arab Singer in the Middle East whose morning tunes are loved by all Arabs. After the show, I got 10 phone calls surprised that there is an Arab American morning program playing Fairouz’s tunes and they were very excreted about the program,” she said.

US Arab Radio Laila Alhusini
US Arab Radio Laila Alhusini

The program has since grown to broadcast every morning Monday through Friday, a critical requirement to be considered a professional news media in America. The show is broadcast on WNZK AM 690 radio in Detroit from 8 am until 9 am (Detroit, EST). But Alhusini quickly expanded the radio show into syndication offering a simulcast live broadcast in Washington D.C. on AM 700 radio and in New York City on WPAT AM 930 radio.

“What makes U.S. Arab Radio such a unique experience is the spirit of teamwork. Our team members who often times volunteered their time because they believed in the Dream. We wanted this program to be a building block for our future generations so that they can build upon and advance this experience,” Alhusini said.

“Our program has received national recognition from sources like BBC world, Voice of America, Radio Sawa, Al-Hurra, the State Department, Peo research Institute who chose us the best radio program in the states in remaining strong on air and continuing to communicate with our Arab American communities and multiple states.”

US Arab Radio hosts
US Arab Radio hosts

The radio segments are live and focus on everything from politics, government services to social life, fashion, music and everyday life for Arabs and Muslims in America and the Middle East. Oftentimes, topics focus on events in the Middle East, from the brutal Israeli occupation of Palestine to the ongoing war in Syria itself. 

“Our programs were not only of political nature or only entertainment, but included a humanitarian focus, educational, including health-related community education, immigration related topics and programs, youth related topics, and we played a role speaking out against terrorism and terrorist acts,” Alhusini explains.

“I am also very involved with the recent wave of refugees of Syrian origins and non-Syrian origins. Through my  extensive network, I am able to connect those refugees with the right individuals who can help them and that in itself is very powerful. Having the means to communicate a message and connect people to each other is powerful.”

Alhusini says she continues to outreach to community leaders and activists to expand the radio program. She gives time to other co-hosts to provide specialized broadcasts to broaden involvement and quality programming.

“My dream is to get the support we need to make this radio program a 12 hour program 7 days a week, broadcasting over most of the United States, connecting Arab Americans and their communities and businesses across the states and building bridges with mainstream America,” Alhusini says, adding that her radio show receives support from many groups and businesses.

“My dream is also to communicate my story as an immigrant who struggled and lived the American dream just like any immigrant. I want people to know that we are human first, we share similar struggles and dreams regardless of what some of the candidates today may say about us. I also want to promote our great country to the young journalist generations in the Middle East who want to engage with us and get to know the United States through our experience and who want to report from their home countries through us strengthening the bridges between our countries.”

But she says that Arab and Muslim businesses and organizations still need to recognize how much a strong news media can not only help them expand their activities and businesses but also strengthen support from its community.

Alhusini believes that one day, American Arabs will join together to support each other and recognize that by networking they can help each other expand their voices, in all media forms including print, online media and the broadcast media on radio and one day American Arab television.

“Without a news media that is founded and driven by American Arabs and American Muslims, we really cannot tell our story fully or accurately to the American people,” Alhusini argues.

“The reality is that despite the work of Arab and Muslim journalists based in the Middle East, Americans are not really hearing our full story because they want to hear it originate from Americans living in this country. Our voices are weak today but they continue to grow.”

US Arab Radio will be celebrating the community and its programming at a dinner banquet in Wayne, Michigan on September 30, 2016 at the Wayne Tree Manor, 35100 Van Born Rd. Click here to get more information.

For more information on US Arab Radio, visit the website www.uschaammedia.com. (Arab names are often translated different ways from Arabic to English. Here are other name spellings: Alhusinni, Al-Husini, Al-Husinni, al-Hussini)

newswire info
  • About
  • Latest Posts
rayhanania
rayhanania
Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News
Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.

Follow RayHanania at Twitter
rayhanania
Latest posts by rayhanania (see all)
  • Israelisnipers shooting and killing hospital workers in Gaza - December 11, 2023
  • CAIR Condemns Israeli Executions of Wounded, Unarmed Palestinian in West Bank   - December 11, 2023
  • Arab and Muslim American voters face a “simple choice” between Biden’s inhumanity and Trump’s edgy politics - December 9, 2023

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
          
 
  
 
          
 
 Tweet 
American Arabs, Bloggers, Commentary, Editors Picks, Journalism, News, Radio Podcast, Ray Hanania, Spotlight, Syria, US Arab Politics Tags:American Arab media, Arab media, Detroit, Laila Alhusini, Muslim media, news media, Radio, radio show

Post navigation

Previous Post: Arab-Palestinian company shows gains
Next Post: Federal Nuclear Lawsuit and Israel’s Gagging

Related Posts

  • Paris company releases new Yom Kippur war game app American Arabs
  • Mansour Tadros, publisher of Chicagoland's The Future News Newspaper, and Christopher Kennedy, the son of the late U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy, speaks at a governor's candidates forum Sept. 16, 2017 at Reza's restaurant in Oak Brook hosted by the American Muslim Task Force. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    قوة التمكين العربي تزداد رغما عن أمريكا American Arabs
  • Arab Democratic Club endorses Garcia over Fioretti American Arabs
  • Joseph Gutman was appointed by Gov. Pritzker to serve as a Member of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees. Gutman was a Partner at BDT & Company from 2017 until retiring in January 2020 where he remains a consultant today.
    Gov Pritzker makes more appointments to state commissions, boards but no Arabs American Arabs
  • Congresswoman Debbie Dingell Wikipedia
    Dingell Introduces Foster Care Legislation in Honor of Rehab and Ahmed Amer American Arabs
  • Presidential Candidate Pete Buttigieg’s Tweet for Christ’s Sake Arab World

More Related Articles

USS Liberty Remembrance of 50 years USA Government Cover-Up of Israel’s 8 June 1967 Attack on USA Spy-Ship American Arabs
Jared Kushner addressing the Peace to Prosperity Conference, providing details for a strategy to empower Palestinians as a part of a planned political solution with Israel. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania Palestinians ‘let down by their leaders,’ Kushner says Arab News
Filmmaker Colette Ghunim Traces of Home documentary. Documentary Filmmaker returns to find parents’ ancestral homes in Mexico and Palestine American Arabs
Lipinski, only one of 15 Illinois candidates to benefit from AIPAC American Arabs
Joseph Smith Founder of Mormon Church had 40 wives, Church admits Ali Younes
CAIR Presidential Poll Nov. 1, 2024 CAIR’s Final Election Poll Shows Stein and Harris Still Tied Among Muslim Voters, Trump Trailing American Arabs

Comment (1) on “US Arab Radio celebrates 11th Year”

  1. Ray Hanania says:
    August 17, 2016 at 6:30 pm

    US Arab radio in Detroit is one of the BEST and most listened to radio shows in America’s Arab and Muslim community. There are so few radio shows that offer accurate and fair insight into the American Arab, and American Muslim community, but US Arab Radio does a great job. They are real pros. You should check them out when in Detroit, Washington DC or New York, or online, too. Look up US Chaam Media.

    Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Ray Hanania's 4 times a week columns at https://RayHanania.com at Substack

Enter Your Email to Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Photo courtesy of Journalist Abdennour Toumi
    France: Political Compromise vs Political Instability
    August 28, 2024
  • Zakia Restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia
    Arabs eat Middle East food like they are making love
    June 27, 2024
  • Zwar lamb kabob and kufta with white and yellow rice
    Zwar ranked the Best Middle East restaurant in Chicagoland suburbs
    June 8, 2024
  • Pictured: Rahm Emanuel, Afghan activist Salman Aftab who was co-chair of the Iftar dinner, and several non-Arab Muslim leaders. Also pictured is Ald. Joe Moore. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania for Arab News
    Comprehensive look at the failings of former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel
    January 18, 2024
  • NEWSWIRE
  • CAIR Logo. Council on American Islamic Relations
    CAIR Condemns MIT for banning Class President from Graduation Ceremony over Anti-Genocide speech
    June 1, 2025
  • Arab American community liaison Hassan Nijem, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Basta at the Arab American Heritage Month event hosted by Pappas’s office.
    Pappas honors Arab American business and community leaders for Heritage Month
    April 29, 2025
  • 04-28-25 Pappas Arab Heritage Month
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas recognizes Arab American Heritage Month by honoring business and community leaders
    April 27, 2025
  • Mike Ghouse
    Celebration of 500th Interfaith Marriage Ceremony
    February 14, 2025

Creative Commons License
All work on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

  • NEWS
  • photo credit author Nehemia Gershuni-Aylho www.NGPhoto.biz and Wikipedia
    Emergency Court Motions to Stop Elbit Drone Parts Shipment via Frankfurt Airport 
    June 7, 2025
  • American Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh murdered by Israeli soldiers May 11, 2022
    Documentary names soldier it says killed Shireen Abu Akleh in 2022
    June 1, 2025
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • Faisal Abbas Book Anecdotes
    Book Review: Arab author shares his anecdotes living in the United Kingdom
    October 22, 2024
  • Columnist Ray Hanania at the ADC Convention in Dearborn with the author Susan Abulhawa
    Book Review: Mornings in Jenin bySusan Abulhawa
    September 14, 2024
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • Television set and remote. Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
    MBC GROUP unveils MBCNOW, its brand-new groundbreaking entertainment service aggregator
    February 24, 2025
  • ArabCon 2024 Gala Program features Dr. Cornel West, Macklemore, and more
    September 6, 2024
  • New-iTunes-1400-x-1400-The-Ray-Hanania-Show-Podcast-Icon-300-x-300.jpg
  • powerpr300x300ad.jpg
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
  • Podcast-iTunes-Logo-Chi-City-Hall-1985.jpg
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
Arab News Newspaper Logo
Read the Arab News, the leading English language newspaper in the MIddle East

Follow Ray Hanania at
Twitter
Facebook
TitkTok
BlueSky
RayHanania Columns

Click here to get information on The Ray Hanania Radio Show and its podcasts

Copyright © 2025 The Arab Daily News.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme