US Muslims plan to launch cable TV network

khilafah ?? ^ | 5/17/03

[knak]

Washington: Suspicious glances follow them everywhere. American Muslims who have nothing to do with terrorism have taken an initiative to convey the truth about themselves through a unique cable network.

About six million to eight million Muslims currently reside in the United States, yet pop culture images of them are scant beyond the nightly news reports chronicling the war on terrorism and Hollywood portrayals of Islamic extremists blowing up buses in Brooklyn.

There isn't a single recurring Muslim character, for example, on a sitcom or drama. Some 1,500 other American Muslims are eager to change that -- so eager that they're willing to pay 10 dollars a month for a fledgling cable television network that doesn't even exist yet, reports Wired News.

Mo Hassan, a New York banker and ex-Procter and Gamble marketer, and Omar Amanat, founder of the Tradescape Internet brokerage, are betting that many more people will to do the same.

The founders of the new Bridges TV network hope that by delivering 10,000 "pre-subscribers" they will convince major cable companies to take on the first nationwide English-language Muslim television channel in the United States by the summer of 2004.

Hassan and Amanat say they plan to offer programming that resonates with the real-life experiences of moderate American Muslims.

"American Muslim life is, for the most part, quite similar to mainstream American life," said Hassan.

"But for an American-born Muslim kid growing up in America, there are virtually no realistic portrayals of Muslims in dramas, sitcoms, soap operas or talk shows."

Despite backing by celebrities like Muhammad Ali and early interest from viewers and investors, Bridges TV has its skeptics.

Mostapha Saout, president of multicultural advertising agency Allied Media, is one of them.

"Muslim and Arab Americans are concentrated in the top 20 cities, which are already saturated with cable stations," Saout said.

"And those 10,000 subscribers -- when you break it down per cable station nationwide -- it's not that many."

Saout said that most ethnically focused cable stations are subsidised by established networks or overseas governments, so being a start-up just adds to Bridges TV's list of challenges.

Source: The News (Jang Group)

[cardinal4]

Lets Mecca deal

ROFLMAO!!!!!!

[yooper]

"But for an American-born Muslim kid growing up in America, there are virtually no realistic portrayals of Muslims in dramas, sitcoms, soap operas or talk shows."

Speaking strictly for myself, I had enough realistic portayal of Muslim drama on September 11, 2001.

That's the bottom line. Yes, I know that many Muslims in this country purportedly are loyal, but I ask you, have you heard even one of these people condemn bin-Laden? If you haven't had the chance to hear from a Muslim an answer to this question, just ask one. They may love living in the US, but make no mistake about it, they will side with Islam over the US every time.

[knak]

I guess Baghdad Bob's Comedy Hour may go over well.

[Norse]

Come on people. The majority of Muslim Americans are not terrorists but in fact are great people. How do I know? I've had many pleasant opportunities to befriend many.

I ask you this - What is worse, a Muslim American, or some white trash woman who judges everyone in the name of Jesus? And don't mention anything about all these Muslims supporting terrorism...because they don't

[gcruse]

I guess Baghdad Bob's Comedy Hour may go over well.

Except to the Muslim audience, it would be the evening news.

[CommandoFrank]

yet pop culture images of them are scant beyond the nightly news reports chronicling the war on terrorism

If they had protested the radicals along with our efforts to fight the fundamentalists, hey, I'd have a different opinion.

What I remember about them here in the states is that we had a FBI muslim agent who refused to tape a conversation with one of the suspected fundamentalists as well as many saying they would never go to the authorities with info on another muslim. "Muslims don't betray Muslims" was the word of the day.

If the shoe fits, wear it..."

[boris]

Every Islamic communications asset--including Al Jazeera--should be reduced to dust...yesterday. Including satellites and base stations.

As to this abomination...why isn't the FCC performing its duty and preventing its establishment?

--Boris

[Nowhere Man]

8 PM - "The Sultans of Hazzard"
9 PM - "Sharia Law"
10 PM - "McMullah" - Tonite's Episode, making AK-47's from tin cans and popsicle sticks.
11 PM - "Baghdad Bob News"
12 AM to 8 AM - "Taliban Singles Network"
8 AM - "Captain Camel"
9 AM - "Fatwa and Friends"
10 AM - "The Burkha Sewing Circle"
11 AM - "The Taliban Zone"
12 PM - "Abdullah-12"
1 PM - "Edge of Ramadan"
2 PM - "1001 Arabian Days of Our Lives"
3 PM - "Aladdin's Magic School Carpet"
3:30 PM - "Jihad Rangers"
4 PM - "Osama's Playhouse"
5 PM - "The Infidels"
6 PM to 8 PM - "Baghdad Bob's Evening News"

[Kudsman]

An honorable businessman I know owns a local pharmacy that dispenses medicine to all Americans. He is an immigrant from Pakistan and a follower of Islam. He has condemned any and all that kill the innocent. I have talked with him about many things over the years. I've seen the tears as the man described how his father in law (a professor) was killed in the middle of the night. The mullahs came to his house and killed the man in front of his own family. I have seen the letters written to our Presidents that detail some of the individual rights abuses happening in the name of radical Islamic fundamentalism. He and his citizen children are American and part of the fabric of this great land. We both experienced the pain of 911. It still continues today.

[MightyMouseToSaveThe Day]

I was thinking that the last time Italians complained there wasn't a single recurring Italian character on a sitcom or drama, etc, they got the Sopranos. Which, of course, made them angrier because they didn't think Sopranos accurately reflected the real Italian. I can just imagine what the Muslims might get if they, too, insist on having more Muslims in sitcoms or dramas, etc: Jihid Jimmy? I'd beware of looking to Hollyweird for reality and an accurate portrayal of anything!

[dagnabbit]

Without gun-owners, or even guns in the United States there would still be crime here. Without a muslim population and free muslim visitation here, however, there would be no muslim terrorism. Also, while the organized gun-owning community is about the most anti-crime, anti-criminal community we have, the muslim community is the least condemnatory and most understanding group in the USA toward muslim terrorism and muslim terrorists.

More important for me, however, is that unlike so many groups with a few problematic members, the jury is still very much out on whether islam, as the ideology it is, will ever be compatible with Western liberal democracy. Until that jury's back I'd rather that we hold off on importing any more islam and that we ask muslim aliens here to leave - before we end up with a permanent mess on a scale that would make Ireland's "troubles" look tame by comparison.

[Kudsman]

I'd rather that we hold off on importing any islam and that we ask muslim aliens here to leave

How about Godless communists (socialist Democrat and Republicans) that have fostered the killing of over 30,000,000 countrymen through abortion. And lets not forget all those non-blue eyed, blond hair people.

[dagnabbit]

I don't recall stating anything about eyes and hair, but if there are some specific benefits to growing islam in this country that outweigh the dangers the ideology's adherents pose, please let me know -- Or more bluntly: What have the muslims brought us that was worth 9-11?

[doug from upland]

We report..........you decide..........then, we cut off your head.

[danmar]

10:00-12:00 How to fly a JumboJet for beginners/Lesson One!

[GunRunner]

Until that jury's back I'd rather that we hold off on importing any more islam and that we ask muslim aliens here to leave - before we end up with a permanent mess on a scale that would make Ireland's "troubles" look tame by comparison. Using someone's religion as a factor in immigration is un-American.

the muslim community is the least condemnatory and most understanding group in the USA toward muslim terrorism and muslim terrorists.

I would argue that the American left is moreso or a close second, but I don't think they should be deported.