New images and stories about the XVI. International Aids Conference on: www.aidsconference2006.blogspot.com

Due to the fact that I was one of those guys who had to stay in Heathrow for a few days before travelling on my connect flight to Toronto and the fact that I arrived in Toronto 2 1/2 days late and without any luggage I had to buy new recording equipment in Toronto to do my job.

I spent so much money in London due to inflated prices and opportunistic rip offs executed by British people during my forced stay therefore I could only afford a tape recorder to record interviews and sessions.

The sound quality therefore is not up to the standard you are used to from radio- and TV broadcasting.

I can only apologize and assure you that the content is still worth listening to.

Unfortunately, todays guest had to cancel and the double show with Aoife NicCenna won't be happening. There will be a regular IN-DEPTH show between 3.30p.m. - 4.30p.m. and the topic will be 09 / 11 - 5 years on featuring interviews with Connie Jeske, a woman from New York, on how she remembers the day and how the life on Americans has changed, and an interview with Rita (name changed to protect her identity) about the reactions she witnessed on 09/11 when she was living in Saudi Arabia! Please tune in

Just back from Toronto Thomas wasted no time and edited hours of footage recorded during and at the XVI. International Aids Conference which took place from August 13th - 18th in Toronto / Canada.

His show "IN-DEPTH" is on every tuesday between 3.30p.m - 4.30p.m. GMT on NEAR FM 101,6FM or globally via webstreaming: http://www.nearfm.ie/livestream.htm on www.nearfm.ie

Thomas will dedicate ALL of his shows for the months of September to the conference and the pandemic that is HIV/AIDS.

This is the overview of what is comung up on IN-DEPTH:

XVI. International Aids Conference Toronto – Show 1

Apart from an interview with a Canadian couple about Canada the show features plenty of different interviews and footage from sessions e.g. an interview with Gomathi Sankarakrishnan from Concern Worldwide from India, Berry Hall from the International Community of Woman Living With Hiv and AIDS , Gary Barker (Executive director of Omundo, Brazilian NGO) talks about the effectiveness of working with men in order to battle HIV and AIDS and Benudhar Senapati , who works with Concern´s partner organisation “Ruchika” as a project manager in Orissa / India, gives us an overview of their work with street children.

ON AIR DATE: 05.09.2006

XVI. International Aids Conference Toronto – Show 2

The second part of this four-part special on HIV and AIDS features interviews with Anannia Admassu from “Children Aid” in Ethiopia and his fellow Ethiopien Mahelet Abrehem who works as a public officer for “Mekdim” in Addis Ababa. Indian Transgender issues are laid bare by transsexual Lakshmi from India, we will learn why Garlic and Lemon Juice might not be enough in places where nutrition is nowhere to be found and Masumba Biriwashi, key correspondent of the “Health and Development Networks. Tells us about HIV and AIDS and other issues in his native Zimbabwe and he also enlightens us on how to become a key correspondent. Sandra Petite from “Calm” will explain why Marijuana as medicine could be beneficial to HIV/AIDS patients before VSO country director Rakhi Sakar explains why the involvement of volunteers on grass roots level is crucial.

ON AIR DATE: 12.09.2006

XVI. International Aids Conference Toronto – Show 3

Part Three features an interview with Kieran McKinney from the Gay Hiv Strategies group based in Dublin about their plans to involve more HIV + men in their fight to battle the virus and the stigma attached to it. We hear from the “Movement of Men against HIV and AIDS” (MMAAK) in Kenya and we also hear from National Aids Council. We also here accounts from South African campaigner Mandala Majola and fellow South African James McIntyre. We hear “Like a Child” a song performed by Glen Murray and Thomas talks to protesters who fight against the Free Trade Agreement coming into being as they are afraid to loose the ability to access all needed medicines to treat Hiv and Aids. James Njuguna from Concern Worldwide Kenya will tell us about the situation regarding the pandemic in his home country, an actress from India (forgot to write down her name, sorry) talks to other delegates in her role as good will ambassador and we also hear from Indias Minister of health that HIV and AIDS has so far never been discussed at meetings.

ON AIR DATE: 19.09.2006

XVI. International Aids Conference Toronto – Show 4

The final part of this four part series from the XVI. International Aids Conference which took place from August 13th – 18th 2006 in Toronto / Canada offers snippets from the very moving closing ceremony and features speeches of Keira Larkin who speaks on behalf of Canadas indigenous people and HIV/AIDS specialist and superstar in his own right Mr. Stephen Lewis. Thomas also captured the mood and thoughts of many participants as he asked them to sum up their thoughts on the conference.

ON AIR DATE: 26.09.2006

What´s up in October*:

03.10.2006 Animal Welfare show with Sarah from EGAR.

10.10.2006 Leonard Peltier with studio guest Dave Bailey

17.10.2006 Cancer - The plague of our time with a studio guest from the Irish Cancer Society, more to be announced soon!

24.10.2006 09 / 11 - 5 years on I will be talking to Connie Jeske, a New Yorker who is married to an Arab about her life post 09/11. I will also talk to Rita (Name changed to protect Ritas identity) who witness rather bizarre reactions to the terrorist attacks while she was in Saudi Arabia. - schedule change: ON AIR DATE 29.08.2006

* - subject to change

Due to sickness Thomas Janak had to cancel todays show on the case of Leonard Peltier. The show has been rescheduled for October 10th!

(Pic: Niagara Falls, Canada)

Thomas Janak is back from Canada where he covered the XVI. International Aids Conference , which took place in Toronto / Canada from August 13th - 18th 2006, for CONCERN and NEAR FM.

Thomas currently listens back and edits the footage he recorded and his show IN-DEPTH will dedicate all Indepth shows in September to HIV/AIDS with footage from the conference.

Read all about it here: http://aidsconference2006.blogspot.com/

Download MP3, 56:57min, 19.6 MB - here is the full show for all who may have missed it.

I am still in Toronto and finally my luggage has arrived. We have 27 degrees celsius and clear skies!!

Hi, after having survived the "horror of Heathrow" (story will follow) I finally made my way into Canada and the XVI. International AIDS Conference is in full swing. I'll keep you posted.

Thomas

(Pic: "In-Depth" producer & presenter Thomas Janak)

Thomas, who is involved in audiorelated recordings for more than 2 decades and who is working in radio for 3 years, got his provisional results from FETAC regarding the "Radio Programme Making" course.

He passed and will be awarded a certificate for FETAC LEVEL V. The results are outstanding:

• Teamworking - MERIT
• Radio Programme Making - DISTINCTION

Congratulations!

August will continue to bring a variety of topics to "In-Depth" and you the listeners. Kicking off on August 1st we´ll have Breda Gahan (pic) in the studio. Breda is the global HIV and AIDS advisor for Concern and she will talk about HIV & AIDS in its local and global context. The show is also a build up to the XVI. Aids Conference which will take place in Toronto/Canada later this month. NEAR FM will be there of course and in September we will dedicate quite a few shows to the topic (more info soon).

On August 8th In-Depth explores the realms of the Paranormal, with studio guests Gavin and Mark, who are involved in paranormal investigations. The show will also feature an interview with Scotlands #1 clairvoyant medium Caroline Stirling. August 15th will bring you an account of The current state of the music industry, a show that comes to you on popular demand after a flood of emails wishing for this show to be put on.

Thomas will be in Toronto at the time of the broadcast so the show has already been pre-recorded. Studio guest is George Mulcahy, a music expert in his own right. The show also features exclusive interviews with the legendary SPARKS and PAUL HUMPHREYS (One - Two/OMD).

August 22nd will see Dave Bailey from the "Free Leonard Peltier" campaign returning to the studio to talk about the efforts that are being made to get Leonard out of the prison. I won´t say no more - tune in and find out what this is all about.

On August 29th Thomas will join forces with fellow presenter Aiofe Nic Cenna and there will be a two hour special about local musicians.

An action packed month - make sure you´re there every Tuesday between 3.30p.m - 4.30p.m. on 101,6FM or via internet www.nearfm.ie (click on the livestreaming option)