Channel S
Encyclopedia
Channel S is a UK
-based, free-to-air television channel targeting the British Bangladeshi
community. The channel was established on 16 December 2004, by Mahee Ferdous Jalil - a Bangladeshi businessman in London
. On Sky it had a timesharing deal with ATN Global, and then in 2005 it started to broadcast for 24 hours, 7 days a week, and is currently available on Sky channel 814. The channel claims to be the "Voice of British Bangladeshis across the world", and its slogan "Working for the community", broadcasting mainly in Bengali and occasionally in Sylheti, and programs suiting the community needs.
The television station
is based at Prestige House in Walthamstow
, North East London
. It broadcasts programs in Bengali
, Sylheti and a few in English
. It is the first Bangladeshi channel to broadcast content in the Sylheti dialect, it has built up a loyal following among the Bangladeshis in the United Kingdom who the majority come from Sylhet
. Since the launch of the channel in 2004, there has been bitter rivalry between Channel S and Bangla TV
, with Channel S gaining rights to broadcast the Baishakhi Mela
. A survey in the UK found Channel S was the most viewed Bengali TV channel in the UK.
, Mahee Ferdous Jalil, who is also the owner of the car insurance company called, Prestige Auto Group.
In March 2005, it moved to its own EPG channel 837 and started broadcasting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and then moved to channel 814.
From 15 January 2006, it aired its programmes in Bangladesh
and other countries of South Asia
, South East Asia and Middle East
From August 2006, Channel S acquired the rights to broadcast two of Bangladesh
's prominent satellite channels, NTV (Bangladesh)
and ATN Bangla
. These are also available on Sky channels 826 and 827 respectively (a few months later it had stopped broadcasting NTV, which became independent from Channel S).
On October 2008, it acquired the rights to broadcast a popular Bangladeshi channel called, Channel i
on channel 826. In May 2007, Channel S launch Islam4U - a channel dedicated to Islamic programmes (has stopped broadcasting since)
coverage of nation
al news and international news, the main headline
and political situation in Bangladesh
and the latest news headlines in Britain. Local and community
news are also broadcast from correspondents throughout the UK, including a news programme dedicated to news coverage from Sylhet
, there is a live bulletin at 7:00 pm and full news broadcast at 10:30 pm and 1:00 am, news coverage is of Bangla. The channel has increasingly been providing programs in Sylheti, which is the first channel to do so, the abbreviation of the channel's name S, refers to Sylhet. It recognises that Sylheti is a separate language than Bengali, targeting the majority Sylheti-speaking community.
, during the 2008 Bangladesh election it has broadcast the process by viewing the voters and the communities opinions on the elections, in the electoral constituencies of Sylhet
, Habiganj, Maulvi Bazar and Sunamganj (Voter Matthe). Let's Talk - hosted by Ajmal Masroor
is a programme debating about current and religious affairs. As it claims to be the voice of the community, it provides people with advice concerning on legal issues, programs include 'Legal Advice' and community-based issues such as, Reality with Mahee. Subjects include all community-based issues, including social, business, or contemporary, bringing solutions to problems.
programs of Bengali music, drama
and shows, including Sylheti drama which are produced in Sylhet and some from east London
. Popular entertainment shows include iRonniee (a programme interviewing notable music-songwriters), and music shows of folk, poetry by leading artists in the UK or Bangladesh, these include Sure Sure Alap, Shudhu Binodan, Sur Jolsha and Matir Sur. A new game show launched in February 2008, called 'Win A Car', offers people to win a Mercedes
C-class, which 'specifically targerts the British Bangladeshi community', and has been described as the first entertainment programme in a 'Sylheti Bangla way'. Since 2005, it has gained the rights to broadcast the Baishakhi Mela annually. Previously the rights were held by Bangla TV, however its commitment to the community has attracted many local business and advertisement to Channel S. In 2009, it was the joint media partner with BBC Asian Network
, alongside the Tower Hamlets council.
Essentials - a live religious talk show which provides the viewers the opportunity to ask questions relating to Islam based on every day life which features Sheikh Abdul Rahman Madani. Quraner Alo and Quran Shikkar Ashor (teaching on how to read the Qur'an
), and Thinking Allowed (discussion on Islamic-based issues). Channel S has planned to launch a channel called Islam4U, which is a 24 hour
channel Islamic channel in Bengali, which however has not started broadcasting
. Speeches of Zakir Naik
and Ahmed Deedat
are also shown daily, with also nasheeds of Sami Yusuf
or Zain Bhikha
.
Charity Department
There are many charity
events for Islamic institutes on Channel S. In 2006 and 2007 during Ramadan, the British Bangladeshi
community donated millions of pounds on live appeals. It then led to Channel S in 2007 creating a fundraising initiative called, the "Ramadan Family Commitment", which was the channels first concept based scheme. It raised £146,138 in 2007 and was distributed amongst 28 organisations, there were 30 charity appeals, one during each night of Ramadan, and "Qurbani Family Commitment", created to make the distribution of Qurbani
during Eid more easier for the Muslim community in the UK, and for Bangladesh
. Organisations which are affiliated with the organisations are Islamic Relief
, Muslim Aid and Hefazothe Islam UK. During Ramadan, Channel S has also raised fundraising events for mosques and madrasses across the UK (e.g. East London Mosque
), and created its first Ramadan Guide in 2008 which was distributed in the communities. As of 2008 Channel S has raised up to £7.5 million for 65 mosque
s, 17 madrasses
and 35 other charity events. It is organised by the Channel S Charity Department, and presented by Rizwan Hussain
.
Channel S also launched a new charity programme with Muslim Aid, called "Shahjalal & Shahporan Village", which is dedicated to raising money to build villages for victims of Cylone Cidr in Bangladesh. Muslim Aid
has hosted live appeals on Channel S, alongside with Islam Channel
. With Muslim Aid, it has managed to raise up to over £200,000 from the community, in support of those who were affected by Cyclone Sidr
in Bangladesh
. A football tournament
was part of the fundraising initiative called the SSV Charity Champions Cup 2008, consisting of 32 teams, aiming to bring Bangladeshi footballers together across different towns from London
, Oldham
and Birmingham
. The event was held from 5 May to 6 July 2008, and was won by Bromley By Bow FC in the finals at Mile End Stadium
, east London. The aim of the fundraising event is to build two villages which are called Shahjalal & Shahporan, with each receiving 360 built houses, including schools, medical centres and mosques, and aims to raise up to £720,000.
show specifically targeting people who use computer
s for business or home use. It helps viewers with problems relating to computer softwares or system
s, and develop the skills of using IT. It provides the latest IT news, software solutions and offers. It also gives the viewers an opportunity to participate in competition
s, and win technology products or software such as an iPhone
or an Arabic learning software provided by Purple-i. It is the only IT weekly programme within the South Asian Broadcasting Industry in the UK, presented in English
and Sylheti.
Viewers also have the opportunity to view their village
or town in Bangladesh
, by calling and requesting on programmes such as Amar Gao, there are many recorded videos of villages across the region of Sylhet. There are also shows available for women and children, for example Mojar Ranna (a cooking show) and It's Our Day (entertainment for children).
, a financial services company run by at least one the managing directors of Channel S went into liquidation owing the public hundreds of thousands of pounds. Mahee Ferdaus Jalil, the chairman of Channel S, filed for an injunction against Bangla TV
to prevent allegations of impropriety by Channel S or its Chairman from being broadcast as well as defamations cases against a number of prominent businessmen who had made the allegations.
As of April 2008, Channel S (including other Bengali channels) was under investigation by Ofcom
for a breach of the Communications Act 2003
, after airing election adverts for the Liberal Democrats
during the London mayoral election, 2008
. The channel accepted adverts from the local Liberal Democrats candidate, Jalal Rajonuddin. Ofcom found Channel S guilty of breaching the TV Advertising Code.
On 4 August 2008, according to the City of London
police, Mahee Ferdous Jalil (Mohammed Ferdhaus) founder of the channel (along with many others) was found guilty, at Croydon
Crown Court, of car insurance fraud
and sentenced
to an 18 months prison
term. The group were involved in a plot to make false car insurance claims and were ordered to pay compensation costs to the AXA insurance company. Since the arrest of Mahee, a media
war broke out with Channel S and Bangla TV. It was noted that Bangla TV broadcast negative news coverage against Mahee and Channel S, leading to propaganda
and different speculations of the event. It raised much concern among the community and politicians, which many thought was an attack against Channel S by Bangla TV. He was released after serving 7 months of his term, as he appeared at the Channel S Community Awards on 30 March 2009.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-based, free-to-air television channel targeting the British Bangladeshi
British Bangladeshi
A British Bangladeshi is a person of Bangladeshi origin who resides in the United Kingdom having emigrated to the UK and attained citizenship through naturalisation or whose parents did so; they are also known as British Bengalis...
community. The channel was established on 16 December 2004, by Mahee Ferdous Jalil - a Bangladeshi businessman in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. On Sky it had a timesharing deal with ATN Global, and then in 2005 it started to broadcast for 24 hours, 7 days a week, and is currently available on Sky channel 814. The channel claims to be the "Voice of British Bangladeshis across the world", and its slogan "Working for the community", broadcasting mainly in Bengali and occasionally in Sylheti, and programs suiting the community needs.
The television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
is based at Prestige House in Walthamstow
Walthamstow
Walthamstow is a district of northeast London, England, located in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is situated north-east of Charing Cross...
, North East London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
. It broadcasts programs in Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
, Sylheti and a few in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. It is the first Bangladeshi channel to broadcast content in the Sylheti dialect, it has built up a loyal following among the Bangladeshis in the United Kingdom who the majority come from Sylhet
Sylhet Division
Sylhet Division , also known as Greater Sylhet or Sylhet region, is the northeastern division of Bangladesh, named after its main city, Sylhet...
. Since the launch of the channel in 2004, there has been bitter rivalry between Channel S and Bangla TV
Bangla TV
Bangla TV is a UK-based satellite television channel targeting the Bengali speaking people in the United Kingdom, and in Europe.-History:Launched in 1999, Bangla TV was the first Bengali language television channel in the UK...
, with Channel S gaining rights to broadcast the Baishakhi Mela
Baishakhi Mela
The Baishakhi Mela celebrated in London, England, takes place across the area of Banglatown in the borough of Tower Hamlets in east London through Brick Lane to Weavers Fields and Allen Gardens in Bethnal Green. The event is a celebration of the Bengali New Year, with musical and cultural events...
. A survey in the UK found Channel S was the most viewed Bengali TV channel in the UK.
History
On 16 December 2004, Channel S started to broadcast on Sky with a timesharing deal with ATN Global on channel 827. It was founded by a Bangladeshi businessmen based in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Mahee Ferdous Jalil, who is also the owner of the car insurance company called, Prestige Auto Group.
In March 2005, it moved to its own EPG channel 837 and started broadcasting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and then moved to channel 814.
From 15 January 2006, it aired its programmes in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and other countries of South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
, South East Asia and Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
From August 2006, Channel S acquired the rights to broadcast two of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
's prominent satellite channels, NTV (Bangladesh)
NTV (Bangladesh)
NTV is a Bengali language satellite television channel based in Bangladesh. It started operation in 2003. It is one of the most popular Bengali TV channels in the country. In the anniversary of the channel, the founder expressed interest in creating NTV2 to satisfy the watchers further, however he...
and ATN Bangla
ATN Bangla
ATN Bangla is a Bengali language digital cable television channel. It transmits from its studio in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The channel is transmitted in South Asia, the Middle-east, Europe, and North America. The channel offers a wide variety of programming including news, movies, dramas, talk shows,...
. These are also available on Sky channels 826 and 827 respectively (a few months later it had stopped broadcasting NTV, which became independent from Channel S).
On October 2008, it acquired the rights to broadcast a popular Bangladeshi channel called, Channel i
Channel I
Channel i is a privately owned Television network in Bangladesh. It is owned by the Impress Group, among the largest conglomerates in Bangladesh with interests in textiles, pharmaceuticals and media....
on channel 826. In May 2007, Channel S launch Islam4U - a channel dedicated to Islamic programmes (has stopped broadcasting since)
Programmes
Channel S provides viewers with a combination of cultural, political and religious programs for the viewers, including shows which help the community with legal or community issues. News is broadcast daily, with newsNews
News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
coverage of nation
Nation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...
al news and international news, the main headline
Headline
The headline is the text at the top of a newspaper article, indicating the nature of the article below it.It is sometimes termed a news hed, a deliberate misspelling that dates from production flow during hot type days, to notify the composing room that a written note from an editor concerned a...
and political situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and the latest news headlines in Britain. Local and community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
news are also broadcast from correspondents throughout the UK, including a news programme dedicated to news coverage from Sylhet
Sylhet
Sylhet , is a major city in north-eastern Bangladesh. It is the main city of Sylhet Division and Sylhet District, and was granted metropolitan city status in March 2009. Sylhet is located on the banks of the Surma Valley and is surrounded by the Jaintia, Khasi and Tripura hills...
, there is a live bulletin at 7:00 pm and full news broadcast at 10:30 pm and 1:00 am, news coverage is of Bangla. The channel has increasingly been providing programs in Sylheti, which is the first channel to do so, the abbreviation of the channel's name S, refers to Sylhet. It recognises that Sylheti is a separate language than Bengali, targeting the majority Sylheti-speaking community.
Talk shows
Talk show programmes include, Obhimot (English: Opinion) - focusing on events of politics in BangladeshBangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, during the 2008 Bangladesh election it has broadcast the process by viewing the voters and the communities opinions on the elections, in the electoral constituencies of Sylhet
Sylhet District
The district of Sylhet consists 6754 mosques, 453 temples, 96 churches and four Buddhist temples.-Places of Interests:-Historical:#The Shrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal#The Shrine of Hazrat Shah Paran#Shahi Eidgah#Gour Govinda Fort#Kean Bridge...
, Habiganj, Maulvi Bazar and Sunamganj (Voter Matthe). Let's Talk - hosted by Ajmal Masroor
Ajmal Masroor
Ajmal Masroor is a British imam, broadcaster and politician. He is well known for being a television presenter on political discussions and on Muslim channels.-Background:...
is a programme debating about current and religious affairs. As it claims to be the voice of the community, it provides people with advice concerning on legal issues, programs include 'Legal Advice' and community-based issues such as, Reality with Mahee. Subjects include all community-based issues, including social, business, or contemporary, bringing solutions to problems.
Entertainment
There are many Bangla entertainmentCulture of Bangladesh
Bangladesh has a long history in its culture. The land, the rivers, and the lives of the common people formed a rich heritage with marked differences from neighbouring regions. It has evolved over the centuries and encompasses the cultural diversity of several social groups of Bangladesh...
programs of Bengali music, drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
and shows, including Sylheti drama which are produced in Sylhet and some from east London
East End of London
The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
. Popular entertainment shows include iRonniee (a programme interviewing notable music-songwriters), and music shows of folk, poetry by leading artists in the UK or Bangladesh, these include Sure Sure Alap, Shudhu Binodan, Sur Jolsha and Matir Sur. A new game show launched in February 2008, called 'Win A Car', offers people to win a Mercedes
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
C-class, which 'specifically targerts the British Bangladeshi community', and has been described as the first entertainment programme in a 'Sylheti Bangla way'. Since 2005, it has gained the rights to broadcast the Baishakhi Mela annually. Previously the rights were held by Bangla TV, however its commitment to the community has attracted many local business and advertisement to Channel S. In 2009, it was the joint media partner with BBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network is a British radio station serving those originating from and around the Indian subcontinent. The music and news comes out of the main urban areas where there are significant communities with these backgrounds. The station has production centres in Birmingham, Leicester and London...
, alongside the Tower Hamlets council.
Islamic
Channel S is one of the first Bengali channels which are committed to broadcasting Islamic-oriented programs. Islamic programs are shown quite frequently, these include programs such as IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
Essentials - a live religious talk show which provides the viewers the opportunity to ask questions relating to Islam based on every day life which features Sheikh Abdul Rahman Madani. Quraner Alo and Quran Shikkar Ashor (teaching on how to read the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
), and Thinking Allowed (discussion on Islamic-based issues). Channel S has planned to launch a channel called Islam4U, which is a 24 hour
24 Hours
24 Hours and 24 Heures is a chain of free daily newspapers published in Canada by Sun Media, a subsidiary of Quebecor Media...
channel Islamic channel in Bengali, which however has not started broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
. Speeches of Zakir Naik
Zakir Naik
Zakir Abdul Karim Naik is an Indian public speaker on the subject of Islam and comparative religion. He is the founder and president of the Islamic Research Foundation , a non-profit organization that owns the Peace TV channel based in Dubai, UAE. He is sometimes referred to as a televangelist...
and Ahmed Deedat
Ahmed Deedat
Ahmed Hussein Deedat was a Muslim writer and public speaker of Indian South African descent. He was best known for his numerous inter-religious public debates with evangelical Christians, as well as pioneering video lectures, most of which centered around Islam, Christianity and the Bible...
are also shown daily, with also nasheeds of Sami Yusuf
Sami Yusuf
Sami Yusuf is a British singer-songwriter, composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist musician of Azeri origin.In 2003 Yusuf released his first album "Al-Mu`allim" at the age of 23, selling over two million copies...
or Zain Bhikha
Zain Bhikha
Zain Bhikha is an Indian South African singer-songwriter, who has achieved success as a performer of Islamic nasheed songs. Associated with prominent Muslim personalities, including Yusuf Islam and Dawud Wharnsby, Bhikha has collaborated on albums and also released several solo albums...
.
Charity Department
There are many charity
Charity (practice)
The practice of charity means the voluntary giving of help to those in need who are not related to the giver.- Etymology :The word "charity" entered the English language through the Old French word "charité" which was derived from the Latin "caritas".Originally in Latin the word caritas meant...
events for Islamic institutes on Channel S. In 2006 and 2007 during Ramadan, the British Bangladeshi
British Bangladeshi
A British Bangladeshi is a person of Bangladeshi origin who resides in the United Kingdom having emigrated to the UK and attained citizenship through naturalisation or whose parents did so; they are also known as British Bengalis...
community donated millions of pounds on live appeals. It then led to Channel S in 2007 creating a fundraising initiative called, the "Ramadan Family Commitment", which was the channels first concept based scheme. It raised £146,138 in 2007 and was distributed amongst 28 organisations, there were 30 charity appeals, one during each night of Ramadan, and "Qurbani Family Commitment", created to make the distribution of Qurbani
Qurbani
Qurbān is the sacrifice of a livestock animal during Eid ul-Adha. The word form was borrowed from Hebrew qorbān "offering" and Syriac qurbānā "sacrifice", etymologised through the cognate Arabic triliteral as "a way or means of approaching someone"....
during Eid more easier for the Muslim community in the UK, and for Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. Organisations which are affiliated with the organisations are Islamic Relief
Islamic Relief
Islamic Relief Worldwide is a Muslim international relief and development organization consisting of a family of 15 aid agencies that aims to alleviate the suffering of the world’s poorest people...
, Muslim Aid and Hefazothe Islam UK. During Ramadan, Channel S has also raised fundraising events for mosques and madrasses across the UK (e.g. East London Mosque
East London Mosque
The East London Mosque, situated in the inner London Borough of Tower Hamlets between Whitechapel and Aldgate, serves one of the UK's largest Muslim communities. It lies near the edge of the City of London, the capital's busy business area, and just a couple of miles from the fast-expanding London...
), and created its first Ramadan Guide in 2008 which was distributed in the communities. As of 2008 Channel S has raised up to £7.5 million for 65 mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
s, 17 madrasses
Madrasah
Madrasah is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, whether secular or religious...
and 35 other charity events. It is organised by the Channel S Charity Department, and presented by Rizwan Hussain
Rizwan Hussain
Rizwan Hussain is a British Barrister satellite television presenter and an international humanitarian worker...
.
Channel S also launched a new charity programme with Muslim Aid, called "Shahjalal & Shahporan Village", which is dedicated to raising money to build villages for victims of Cylone Cidr in Bangladesh. Muslim Aid
Muslim Aid
Muslim Aid is a UK based international relief and development organisation working to alleviate poverty worldwide. The charity says it believes in sustainable, local and practical solutions to empower individuals and strengthen communities...
has hosted live appeals on Channel S, alongside with Islam Channel
Islam Channel
Islam Channel is a UK-based, free-to-air, English language, Islamic-focused satellite television channel funded by advertising and donations. It was reported in 2008 that UK government research found that 97.3% of Muslims watched the channel...
. With Muslim Aid, it has managed to raise up to over £200,000 from the community, in support of those who were affected by Cyclone Sidr
Cyclone Sidr
Cyclone Sidr was the strongest named cyclone in the Bay of Bengal...
in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. A football tournament
Tournament
A tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:...
was part of the fundraising initiative called the SSV Charity Champions Cup 2008, consisting of 32 teams, aiming to bring Bangladeshi footballers together across different towns from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Oldham
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
and Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. The event was held from 5 May to 6 July 2008, and was won by Bromley By Bow FC in the finals at Mile End Stadium
Mile End Stadium
Mile End Stadium, also known as the East London Stadium, is a multi-sports stadium situated in Mile End Park, east London, England. The stadium comprises an athletics stadium and a number of floodlit Astroturf football pitches and basketball courts....
, east London. The aim of the fundraising event is to build two villages which are called Shahjalal & Shahporan, with each receiving 360 built houses, including schools, medical centres and mosques, and aims to raise up to £720,000.
Others
There are also other various shows available for all other viewers. A programme called Bits n Bytes, is an ITInformation technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
show specifically targeting people who use computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
s for business or home use. It helps viewers with problems relating to computer softwares or system
System
System is a set of interacting or interdependent components forming an integrated whole....
s, and develop the skills of using IT. It provides the latest IT news, software solutions and offers. It also gives the viewers an opportunity to participate in competition
Competition
Competition is a contest between individuals, groups, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or a location of resources. It arises whenever two and only two strive for a goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment. For...
s, and win technology products or software such as an iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
or an Arabic learning software provided by Purple-i. It is the only IT weekly programme within the South Asian Broadcasting Industry in the UK, presented in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Sylheti.
Viewers also have the opportunity to view their village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
or town in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, by calling and requesting on programmes such as Amar Gao, there are many recorded videos of villages across the region of Sylhet. There are also shows available for women and children, for example Mojar Ranna (a cooking show) and It's Our Day (entertainment for children).
Controversy
In June 2007, First Solution Money TransferFirst Solution Money Transfer
First Solution Money Transfer was a UK based private limited company which provided a money transfer service, providing expatriates the facilities to transfer money back to their family in Bangladesh....
, a financial services company run by at least one the managing directors of Channel S went into liquidation owing the public hundreds of thousands of pounds. Mahee Ferdaus Jalil, the chairman of Channel S, filed for an injunction against Bangla TV
Bangla TV
Bangla TV is a UK-based satellite television channel targeting the Bengali speaking people in the United Kingdom, and in Europe.-History:Launched in 1999, Bangla TV was the first Bengali language television channel in the UK...
to prevent allegations of impropriety by Channel S or its Chairman from being broadcast as well as defamations cases against a number of prominent businessmen who had made the allegations.
As of April 2008, Channel S (including other Bengali channels) was under investigation by Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
for a breach of the Communications Act 2003
Communications Act 2003
The Communications Act 2003 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It gave regulation body Ofcom its full powers. Among other measures, it introduced legal recognition of Community Radio and paved the way for full-time Community Radio services in the UK; as well as controversially...
, after airing election adverts for the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
during the London mayoral election, 2008
London mayoral election, 2008
The London mayoral election, 2008 for the office of Mayor of London was held on 1 May 2008 and was won by Conservative Party candidate Boris Johnson....
. The channel accepted adverts from the local Liberal Democrats candidate, Jalal Rajonuddin. Ofcom found Channel S guilty of breaching the TV Advertising Code.
On 4 August 2008, according to the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
police, Mahee Ferdous Jalil (Mohammed Ferdhaus) founder of the channel (along with many others) was found guilty, at Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
Crown Court, of car insurance fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
and sentenced
Sentenced
Sentenced was a Finnish heavy metal band that played melodic death metal in their early years. The band formed in 1989, in the town of Muhos, Finland, and broke up in 2005.-Early years :...
to an 18 months prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
term. The group were involved in a plot to make false car insurance claims and were ordered to pay compensation costs to the AXA insurance company. Since the arrest of Mahee, a media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
war broke out with Channel S and Bangla TV. It was noted that Bangla TV broadcast negative news coverage against Mahee and Channel S, leading to propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
and different speculations of the event. It raised much concern among the community and politicians, which many thought was an attack against Channel S by Bangla TV. He was released after serving 7 months of his term, as he appeared at the Channel S Community Awards on 30 March 2009.
See also
- British BangladeshiBritish BangladeshiA British Bangladeshi is a person of Bangladeshi origin who resides in the United Kingdom having emigrated to the UK and attained citizenship through naturalisation or whose parents did so; they are also known as British Bengalis...
- Rizwan HussainRizwan HussainRizwan Hussain is a British Barrister satellite television presenter and an international humanitarian worker...
- Ajmal MasroorAjmal MasroorAjmal Masroor is a British imam, broadcaster and politician. He is well known for being a television presenter on political discussions and on Muslim channels.-Background:...
- List of television stations in Bangladesh
- Bangla TVBangla TVBangla TV is a UK-based satellite television channel targeting the Bengali speaking people in the United Kingdom, and in Europe.-History:Launched in 1999, Bangla TV was the first Bengali language television channel in the UK...
- ATN BanglaATN BanglaATN Bangla is a Bengali language digital cable television channel. It transmits from its studio in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The channel is transmitted in South Asia, the Middle-east, Europe, and North America. The channel offers a wide variety of programming including news, movies, dramas, talk shows,...
- Channel iChannel IChannel i is a privately owned Television network in Bangladesh. It is owned by the Impress Group, among the largest conglomerates in Bangladesh with interests in textiles, pharmaceuticals and media....
- NTV (Bangladesh)NTV (Bangladesh)NTV is a Bengali language satellite television channel based in Bangladesh. It started operation in 2003. It is one of the most popular Bengali TV channels in the country. In the anniversary of the channel, the founder expressed interest in creating NTV2 to satisfy the watchers further, however he...