Islamic Satellite Channel planned

The Executive Council of the Islamic Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) yesterday approved a draft project for establishing a multi-language Islamic Satellite Channel at an estimated cost of $30 million, as part of a strategy to promote Islam and present the true image of Muslims worldwide.

Representatives of 31 Muslim countries taking part in the 22nd Executive Council Session of ISESCO – which was inaugurated by His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and is being held at the Holiday International Hotel here – yesterday reviewed the study of the project and endorsed it unanimously.

"This important project had been initiated by Qatar. It has been studied thoroughly by the Executive Council and it will be presented to the forthcoming Conference of the Islamic Ministers of Culture due to be held in Doha, Qatar, within the next few days," said Dr Abdulaziz Othman Al Twaijri, Director-General of ISESCO.

Dr Al Twaijri said that the project had already been supported by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar and Chairman of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC).

"Once the project is approved by the ministers of culture in the Islamic countries, it will be presented by Sheikh Hamad to the leaders of the OIC member states," noted Dr Al Twaijri. He added that Sheikh Hamad had offered to host the projected channel in Doha.

The channel, Dr Al Twaijri noted, would start broadcasting in English since it is the main language that is used around the globe. "Broadcasts will then be made in French, Spanish, Portuguese and other major languages, including Chinese and Hindi."

Abdulaziz Al Ansari, Secretary-General for the National Committee for Education, Culture and Sciences, explained that the study had been presented to Sheikh Hamad who had expressed his satisfaction with it and pledged that Qatar would be ready to host the channel and support it.

"However, we expect all members of the OIC to provide support for this important project in order to make it a big success," said Al Ansari.

According to the study, which Gulf News received a copy of, the need for setting up the Islamic Satellite Channel stemmed from the fact that "Muslims need to consolidate their faith and strengthen their feelings of belonging to the Islamic Ummah (nation) and their understanding of current issues, whatever may be their language of origin or the community they belong to".

The study said that the projected channel can serve as "concretisation of this objective through enlightening Islamic public opinion on current issues, addressing issues of concern to Muslims, responding to the falsehoods and allegations made against Muslims and Islam, highlighting the strength of Islam and its greatness through its civilisation, showcasing the human, cultural and linguistic diversity of the Islamic world, and considering this diversity as an indicator of strength and not of weakness".

The study stressed that there would be two kinds of discourses in addressing Muslims through the projected channel: one addressed to Muslims all over the lands of Islam, and another addressing Muslim minorities and communities in non-Muslim countries.

According to the study, another objective of the channel stemmed from the need to target non-Muslims for the purpose of rectifying much of the incorrect information disseminated about Islam and Muslims.

"In a bid to avoid appearing in a position of weakness and in the status of the accused who needs to defend himself, the aim of this channel should be implicit and understood from what it presents in terms of programmes on the greatness of Islam and its former and ongoing contribution to the building of human civilisation," said the study.

The study noted that these two objectives could only be achieved through formulating a consistent and balanced discourse for the channel, so that viewers may feel that there is only one Islam, and that the fundamentals and convictions of this religion cannot be challenged.

"The channel's programmes must be remarkable in form and content in order to present a civilised alternative to existing programmes for the benefit of both Muslims and non-Muslims, in a way that remains in harmony with the prerequisites of modern times," added the study.

The study explained that the proposed channel will be different from the existing Islamic channels, thanks to the variety of themes it will tackle and the style in which it proposes to treat these topics.

The study further said that the "independence of the creation and operation of the projected channel would be the only guarantee for the continuity of the channel.

This will entail the creation of a company to be entrusted with the task of setting up and running the channel, drawing up and implementing an information policy without any external pressure or interference of any party whatsoever."

According to the study, the projected channel should be monitored and controlled by an "Ethics Council" comprising an independent entity of Islamic Sharia scholars renowned for their probity and their moderation.

"The mission of this council will include approving programmes in terms of content and Islamic reference, making observations and drawing the attention of managers to flaws and shortcomings following the broadcast of the programmes," stated the study.

The study also suggested the formation of an "Administrative Council" to formulate and adopt the general policy of the channel at the programming, financial, and administrative levels.

"This Council should comprise a representative of the local Qatari authority or the company that will run the channel, the director general of the channel, representatives of the Ethics Council, two experts in audio-visual media, and four representatives of Muslim expatriates in Europe and the U.S., and any other person that the administration may deem knowledgeable and capable of contributing to the development of the channel," noted the study.

The study proposed that the channel should adopt digital technology in production and broadcasting, and should broadcast around the clock to be able to cover most of the continents.

The study proposed that the channel should have its headquarters in Doha, Qatar, and a number of external offices in Cairo, Paris, London, and Jeddah in the first year; New York and Madrid in the second year, Dakar and Rabat in the third year, and Sydney and Moscow in the fourth year.

The estimated cost of the project as presented in the study would be $8 million for the construction and equipment of the headquarters, and between $18 million and $22 million for operation and management.