Islam Channel is a UK-based, free-to-air, English language, Islamic-focused satellite television channel funded by advertising and donations. It was founded in 2004 by Mohamed Ali Harrath, a Tunisian activist and businessman who is also its chief executive officer. It was reported in 2008 that UK government research found that 59% of British Muslims watched the channel. It broadcasts across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, is streamed live on the internet and is soon to commence broadcasting in North America. Islam Channel began broadcasting on March 2004 on Sky Digital channel 836, but subsequently moved to channel 813, then 806, now 737. In April 2010, it launched on Freesat channel 693. Since its launch, the channel has expanded its range of programming, including programmes regarding current affairs, education, Islamic values, Islamic doctrine, as well as domestic, financial and community related topics.
Popular programmes
There are a number of programmes which cover entertainment, current affairs, community activities, women's issues, and Islamic education.
Islam Channel organised Global Peace and Unity events in London. The events were held over two days in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2013. They were the largest such Muslim, interfaith and multicultural events in Europe, and in 2010 was attended by around 50,000 Muslims and non-Muslims. The aim of the event, according to the organisers, is to bring together people from all spheres of British society to inform and educate them about Islam and Muslims, and through this help to bridge the gaps between Muslims and non-Muslims.
In 2007, Ofcom fined Islam Channel £30,000 for breaking the broadcasting code by having Yvonne Ridley present news programmes while standing as a candidate in local elections for the Respect Party during the previous year. Ofcom also condemned the channel for not providing requested recordings. In 2008, Yvonne Ridley was awarded £20,532 in compensation and £5,000 in costs after an employment tribunal upheld her complaint that she was unfairly dismissed, was sexually discriminated against and harassed whilst working at the station. Two cases from 2009 were also punished by Ofcom, for not including an Israeli perspective on discussion of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Ofcom found the channel to be in breach of rules again in 2014. The program In Conversation with Lutfur Rahman, broadcast on 6 March gave politician Lutfur Rahman an unchallenged platform to promote himself.
In November 2010 the channel was censured by Ofcom for allowing presenters to advocate marital rape and domestic abuse. A presenter is reported to have said during one programme: "it shouldn't be such a big problem where the man feels he has to force himself upon the woman", while in another a speaker told a viewer who was phoning in: "In Islam we have no right to hit the woman in a way that damages her eye or damages her tooth or damages her face or makes her ugly. Maximum what you can do, you can see the pen over here, in my hand, this kind of a stick can be used just to make her feel that you are not happy with her." The channel was not fined but Ofcom stated: "the advocacy of any form of violence... is not acceptable" and that "it was highly likely that any advocacy and support at all of forced sexual relations would be offensive". During the program Muslimah Dilemma, Western laws and freedoms were attacked, and that women should not be "permitted to hold a position of leadership in government".
Anwar al-Awlaki
In 2010 it was reported that Islam Channel had in 2009 carried advertisements for DVDs of radical al-Qaeda cleric Anwar al-Awlaki's sermons and for at least two events at which he was due to be the star speaker via video link.
Awards and nominations
In January 2013, Islam Channel was nominated for the Responsible Media of the Year award at the British Muslim Awards. In January 2014 and 2015, the channel was awarded the Responsible Media of the Year award at the British Muslim Awards.
