Channel S

All you want to know about Channel S

Channel S
Channel S Logo
Launched 2004-12-16
Owned by Mahee Ferdous Jalil
Slogan Working for the community
Country  United Kingdom
Language Sylheti, Bengali, English
Broadcast area United Kingdom, Europe, Bangladesh
Headquarters London
Sister channel(s) Channel S (Bangladesh)
Channel S 'Channel i'
Islam4U
Website www.chsuk.tv
Availability
Satellite
Sky Digital Channel 814
Eurobird 1 28.5°E 11,488 V SR 27500 FEC 2/3
Intelsat 24.5°W 11,674 V SR 27500 FEC 3/4

Channel S is a UK-based, free-to-air television channel targeting the British Bangladeshi community in the UK. The channel was established on 16 December 2004, by Mahee Ferdous Jalil, a Bangladeshi businessman in London.[1] On Sky Digital 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 now currently available on Sky channel 814. The channel claims to be the "Voice of British Bangladeshis across the world",[2] and it's slogan "Working for the community", broadcasting mainly in the dialect of Sylheti, and programs suiting the community needs. It's television station is based in Walthamstow in North East London.

It broadcasts programs in Bengali, Sylheti and English. It is the first Bangladeshi channel to broadcast content mainly in the Sylheti language, it has built up a loyal following among the Bangladeshis in the United Kingdom who the majority come from Sylhet.[3] 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.

Contents

History

On 16th December 2004, Channel S started to broadcast on Sky Digital with a timesharing deal with ATN Global on channel 827. It was founded by a Bangladeshi businessmen based in London, 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[1]

From August 2006, Channel S acquired the rights to broadcast two of Bangladesh's prominent satellite channels, NTV (Bangladesh) amd 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)

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 broadcasted daily, with news coverage of national 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 broadcasted from correspondents throughout the UK, including a news programme dedicated to news coverage from Sylhet, there is a live bulletin at 7.00pm and full news broadcast at 10.30pm and 1.00am, news coverage is of Bangla.[4]

Talk shows

Talk show programmes include, Obhimot (English: Opinion) - focusing on events of politics in Bangladesh, during the 2008 Bangladesh election it has broadcasted the process by viewing the voters and the communities opinions on the elections, in the electorial 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.[4]

Entertainment

There are many Bangla entertainment programs of Bengali music, drama and shows, inluding Sylheti drama which are produced in Sylhet and some from east London. Popular entertainment shows include iRonniee (a programme interviewing notable music-songwriters[5]), 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.[4] 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'.[6]

Islamic

A popular Islamic talk show, Islam Essentials

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 Islam Essentials - a live religious talk show which provides the viewers the opportunity to ask questions relating to Islam based on every day life, Quraner Alo (teaching on how to read the Qur'an), and Thinking Allowed (discussion on Islamic-based issues).[4] 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.[7]

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,[8] and "Qurbani Family Commitment", created to make the distribution of Qurani during 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.[9] 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.[10] As of 2008 Channel S has raised up to £7.5 million for 65 mosques, 17 madrasses and 35 other charity events. It is organised by the Channel S Charity Department, and presented by Rizwan Hussain.[11]

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, along side with Islam Channel.[12] 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.[13] 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.[14][15] 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.[10]

Others

There are also other various shows available for all other viewers. A programme called Bits n Bytes, is an IT show specifically targeting people who use computers for business or home use. It helps viewers with problems relating to computer softwares or systems, 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 competitions, and win technology products or softwares 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.[4]

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).[4]

Controversy

FSMT scandal

See also: First Solution Money Transfer

In June 2007, First Solution Money Transfer, 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.[16] 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.[17]

Election adverts

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 just days before the London mayoral election, 2008. The adverts were running on the channel from 18 April 2008. The channel was persuaded by the Lib Dem candidate, Jalal Rajonuddin who is a well respected leader in the community, to broadcast adverts for his candidacy. Under the act you cannot air election adverts as opposed to election broadcasts. The Liberal Democrats took full responsibility and said it will pay the necessary fines, and has given an apology.[18]

Mahee arrest

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.[19] Since the arrest of Mahee, a media war broke out with Channel S and Bangla TV. It was noted that Bangla TV broadcasted 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.[20][21][22]

References

  1. ^ a b Channel-S TV to air programme in Bangladesh The Daily Star
  2. ^ Channel S, working for the community
  3. ^ "Methods-Study population - 95%: International migration and the rural context in Sylhet. New Community 18: 579–590.". Gardner K. Retrieved on (2003).
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Channel S - Live programmes". Channel S, working for the community. Retrieved on 2008-12-13.
  5. ^ "Kamone Rakhi Akhi Bari Chapiya - Nazrul - Debipriya Das - iRonniee". Channel S (via YouTube). Retrieved on 2008-12-14.
  6. ^ "Win a car". Purple i Ltd. (Channel S). Retrieved on 2008-08-28.
  7. ^ Islam4U Channel S
  8. ^ Ramadan Family Commitment (RFC) Channel S
  9. ^ Qurbani Family Commitment (QFC) Channel S
  10. ^ a b Ramadan Guide 2008 - Channel S. Editor: Rizwan Hussain, Sub Editor: Abdul Awal Mamun
  11. ^ "Rizwan Hussain Biography". Nooria Mission. Retrieved on 2008-12-13.
  12. ^ "Eid Mubarak". Muslim Aid (29 September 2008). Retrieved on 2008-12-13.
  13. ^ "After Cyclone Sidr". Muslim Aid (2008). Retrieved on 2008-12-13.
  14. ^ Shahjalal & Shahporan Village (Charity Champions Cup 2008) Channel S
  15. ^ Channel S - SSV (Shahjalal & Shahporan Village) Charity Cup Winners 2008 Bromley By Bow Football Club
  16. ^ "Millions lost as firm goes bust". BBC. Retrieved on 2007-07-04.
  17. ^ Press Conference by Mahee (Chairman of Channel S) refuting allegations linking him to First Solution (Language: Bengali, Sylheti)
  18. ^ Respect Renewal
  19. ^ Car Fraud Gang Sentenced City of London Police
  20. ^ Mahee Jalil news 1 - Channel S (Language: Bengali, Sylheti, English)
  21. ^ Mahee Jalil news 2 - Channel S (Language: Bengali)
  22. ^ Mahee Jalil news 3 - Channel S (Language: Bengali)

See also

External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_S"

No comments have been added.



Your name:

City:

Country:

Your comments:

Security check *
(Please enter the number into adjoining box)

 

  • Ads

           
eXTReMe Tracker