The first ever 24/7 US-wide English-language Muslim cable television channel in North America "Bridges TV" has taken to the air on a tide of support ranging from the common man to the celebrities.
For the past year, more than 10,000 American Muslims paid a monthly fee to show support for the channel that did not exist until Nov. 30. "We cannot think of another television network that attracted subscribers before it was available," Muzzammil (Mo) S. Hassan, founder and CEO, told Arab News in an online interview. "This outpouring of support from American Muslims shows not only that there is an audience for Bridges TV, but also that American Muslims are deeply committed to changing perceptions of Muslims around the world," he added.
The channel has attracted one million dollars. It also has won endorsements from Muslim American groups and celebrities such as boxing legend Muhammad Ali, and basketball hero Hakeem Olajuwan of Houston Rockets, NBA.
Broadcasting from Buffalo, New York, Bridges premiered on Nov. 30, 2004, during an inter-faith launch ceremony led by W. Deen Mohammad, president of the Mosque Care, and head of the largest American Muslim organization, consisting of two million African American Muslims and 600 American mosques.
"I am truly impressed by the quality of programming on Bridges TV. It is simply spectacular," said Sheldon Altfeld, a four-time Emmy winning Hollywood producer.
"The launch of Bridges TV comes at a time when the Muslim community around the world is now more than ever in the spotlight," Mo said.
ABC News Channel 8's Michael Herzenberg said in the introduction to his news about Bridges TV: "Do you take a second look at Muslims on a plane, on a train or even on the street, and worry about terrorism." It summed up the kind of focus that Muslims are under. "Hate crimes targeting Muslim Americans are part of a new brand of bigotry surfacing since 9/11," Herzenberg said.
"I think that the best way to overcome the erroneous image of American Muslims is to let the rest of America get to know us the way they would get to know their next door neighbor, seeing us in natural situations at work and at play. We think Bridges TV will make this happen," said Muhammad Ali, a keen subscriber.
"I realized that the only way to undo misconceptions was to create our own media forum from which our stories and culture would be shared with the world. Other cultural groups have gained acceptance and increased understanding through the media. Why can't Muslims do the same?" asked Mo. "Bridges TV hopes to create a diverse genre of programming that members of the American Muslim community can identify with," he added.
That group is composed approximately one-quarter each of Arabs, South Asians, Africans, and others that include Iranian, Turkish, Indonesians, Caucasians and Bosnians. Mo noted that most members of these groups are moderate Muslims who cannot identify with the extreme stereotypes often depicted in Hollywood productions. He explained that research suggests that foreign language channels in the United States appeal primarily to the immigrant parents and not to the American born children. "The programming on the foreign channels is about life back home, not North America. Domestic channels cater to a broader mainstream audience, not American Muslims. Bridges appeals to American Muslims of all ethnicities with programming in English and a focus on Muslim life in North America, he stressed.
According to US Census 2000, American Muslims are way ahead compared with the total US population in annual growth, annual household income, education (bachelors or higher degree), age (adults under 40), and use of Internet and satellite. In raw numbers, this equates to 6.2 percent (US 0.9 percent), $54K ($43K), 65 percent (44 percent), 66 percent (35 percent), 72 percent (51 percent), and 35 percent (22 percent) respectively.
Although targeted primarily at a North-American Muslim audience, Mo said that Bridges TV will have some cross-over appeal to other Americans due to world-wide interest about Islam and Muslim lifestyles. The channel hopes to evolve into a full-time nationwide cable television channel. It will expand to the United Kingdom in summer of 2006. "I see BET (Black Entertainment Television) as a good role model. Not necessarily the nature of the programming, but in terms of where the African-American community was back in the ྂs. Acceptance was an issue. Then BET came on the scene and shows like The Cosby Show followed," Mo said. "What Bob Johnson did for BET, he lowered a lot of the barriers for African-Americans. I see BET as a model to make American Muslims feel accepted as American Muslims. We deserve that," he added.
