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Bridges TV was a Muslim television network. It originally headquartered in Buffalo, New York. Premiering nationally in November 15, 2004, it was the first American Muslim television network to broadcast in the English language.〔(News aljazeerah.info: First American Muslim Television Channel Announced by Bridges Network )〕〔(Press Release: Bridges TV Debuts American Muslim Television Network in English Nationwide on November 30, 2004 )〕〔(CNN: Founder of Islamic TV station accused of beheading wife (February 16, 2009) )〕 This channel ceased operations on March 15, 2012. Designed to counter negative stereotypes of Muslims, the network has received attention from publications and media venues such as ''Variety'', NBC News, the Voice of America, ''Columbus Dispatch'', ''Detroit Free Press'', ''San Jose Mercury News'', ''Rochester Democrat & Chronicle'' ''The Buffalo News'' and ''Canadian Press''.〔(Catholic Online: U.S. Muslim Beheads Wife (2/17/2009) )〕 In July 2011 BridgesTV moved to New York City in hopes of broadening its influence across America with help from Soundview Broadcasting. Unfortunately the move crippled the company and was only meant for Soundview to absorb Bridges TV's customers and its small influence in the Muslim American Market. ==Content== By focusing its content on the experiences of the estimated eight million Muslims living in North America, Bridges TV differentiates itself from such foreign language programming as Geo TV (which broadcasts in Urdu), Prime TV (which broadcasts in Urdu) and Arab Radio and Television Network (which broadcasts in Arabic). Around the time of its inception, the network announced that it would seek to feature sitcoms that represent American Muslim family life in a positive way and identified ''The Cosby Show'' as a model for such programming.〔 In late 2005, Bridges TV started airing "Current Issues", a show produced in Lafayette, Louisiana about Palestinian and other Middle Eastern concerns. The Palestinian American host, Hesham Tillawi, is known for vocalizing criticism against Israel's treatment of Arabs and Muslims. The Anti-Defamation League called his show "a megaphone for Holocaust deniers and white supremacists seeking to broadcast their hatred and anti-Semitism into American homes with a "who's who" of notable American antisemites including David Duke, Willis Carto, Edgar J. Steele, Mark Weber, and Bradley Smith.〔(Anti-Defamation League: Hesham Tillawi / “Current Issues” )〕 Another program shown on Bridges TV, "American Pilgrimage", featured Rabbi Brad Hirschfield visiting homes and mosques of leading imams and Muslim religious thinkers across North America in cities including Halifax, Detroit, San Francisco, New York City and Washington, DC. The series has been described as "groundbreaking" and has been characterized as having a "Charlie Rose meets Charles Kuralt" format.〔(National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership: American Pilgrimage )〕 World heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, a subscriber and spokesperson for the network, said: "Bridges TV gives American Muslims a voice of their own on the airwaves for Americans of all races and religions to hear."〔 Network official expressed the opinion that a channel like Bridges TV was long overdue and market research sponsored by the network revealed American Muslims' willingness to pay as much as $10 per month above and beyond their current cable television or satellite television fee for the channel.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Bridges TV」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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