The Russia’s Council of Muftis has asked General Director of the Russian Public Television, Anatoly Lysenko, to reserve at least 15% of air time for Islamic-themed programs.
“Muslims currently account for at least 15% of the country’s population. And we think that at least 15% of the air time of the Russian Public Television, which is being created, should be dedicated to programs and films on various aspects of the Muslim community’s life,” the Izvestia newspaper said on Tuesday citing a letter of Ravil Gainutdin, chief of the Council of Muftis, to Lysenko.
Otherwise, the Russian Public Television will not be able to become an adequate information channel on the life of Russian society, Gainutdin said.
“Federal channels don’t come to us when we hold largest international and all-Russia events, they say it’s boring. We hope that the Russian Public Television will differ from them,” the newspaper quoted Deputy Chairman of the Council of Muftis, Rushan Abbyasov, as saying.