Russian Muslim channel launches

Al RTV, a channel aimed at Russia’s Muslim population, has launched, coinciding with the Eid holiday that marks the end of Ramadan.

The channel is targeted at the country’s Muslims – accounting for about 8% of the population – principally concentrated in the Republics of Chechnya, Kabardino-Balkaria, Ingushetia, Karachay-Cherkessia and Dagestan in the North Caucasus and Bashkiria and Tatarstan in the Volga region.

Al RTV will be included in pay TV operator Tricolor TV’s satellite offering, according to press reports.

Damir Mukhetdinov, the deputy chairman of the Russian Muslim Religious Directorate for European Regions, told Russian radio that the channel would be privately funded and was backed by three individuals. The channel’s chief editor has been named as Rustan Arifdzhanov, vice-president of the Eurasian Academy of Television and Radio Broadcasting.