OIC’s TV channel to be launched in 2014

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s projected TV channel will be launched during the first quarter of 2014, according to Esam Al-Shanti, the organization’s Information Administration’s director, who first proposed the idea. The channel will be broadcast via satellite and in three languages initially — Arabic, English and French. If required, other languages will be added later if needed.
The channel’s headquarters will be either in Cairo, Dubai or Lebanon. These sites are under consideration because of their experience with media and satellite channels and a workforce and infrastructure necessary to launch a new channel. The channel will have offices all over the world but especially in Africa and Asia, Al-Shatti said, commending the organization’s Secretary General Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu “unlimited support” for the channel.
“In fact, the channel is one of the achievements that was accomplished under his tenure,” he said, adding that financing for the channel would come from the private sector in Islamic countries. He said that the OIC would make no financial contribution, adding that the organization will not allow any politicization of the channel as per the organization’s Charter.
“We are optimistic about the channel’s success,” he said.