Arabic television station Aljazeera launched a channel for children in Amsterdam on Friday. The channel will be available by satellite in the Netherlands.
Programme buyer Lou Murrin told Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant that the channel will enable Arab children to identify with characters on television. "Everything revolves around identity, said Murrin. "A Lebanese boy wants to recognise himself in the kids shown on television and that just isn’t possible with American comic strip characters."
The Arabic-language channel, launched at the City cinema, will produce 40 percent of its own programmes, a ratio higher than most other children channels worldwide, according to Aljazeera.net. It also buys productions from Europe.
Shaikh Hamad bin Thamer Al Thani, chairman of the board of Aljazeera Group, said: "In view of the existing state of television, where children are exposed to violent and inappropriate material on a daily basis, her highness Shaikha Mozah made a momentous decision to establish Aljazeera Children’s Channel’
| The issue is: will that boy grow up to see himself as a European of Lebanese extract or as a Lebanese who happens to live in Europe. It makes a big difference ... and I can guess which way al Jazeera wants it. |
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