Gazans finally have an alternative viewing choice: Hamas-backed Al Aqsa TV. The new channel, which is named after the Al-Aqsa Muslim shrine in Jerusalem, began its test broadcasts during the second week of January, only days after having launched its official election campaign.
Al Aqsa TV is the first private station in Gaza and comes three years after the Hamas radio station (also named after the famous Muslim shrine) began its official broadcasts. “So far, the content is a mixture of video-taped Hamas rallies and clips,” Shohdi El Kashef, news editor for the Gaza-based Ramattan news agency, told the MEB journal. Al-Aqsa is on air for 12 hours per day and also includes periods of Koranic recitations and taped shows from Islamic preacher Amr Khaled.
According to El Kashef, most of Gaza’s terrestrial viewers are tuning in to Al-Aqsa, driven away by the bad performance of state-owned Palestine TV, the only other viewing option in Gaza. By contrast, West Bank residents have access to over 21 privately-owned television stations.
“Even if it wasn’t related to Hamas, any TV venture (in Gaza) is likely to reap a large audience,” said El Kashef.
Hamas officials said they were not put off by the possibility of an Israeli attack: Al-Aqsa radio was temporarily silenced in 2004 when Apache helicopters targeted it with missiles.
Al Aqsa TV comes as part of a wider media campaign employed by Hamas to air its political platform including a dozen internet sites, its radio station and the daily publication "al-Risala".
Hamas officials are also said to be considering a satellite channel to reach international audiences.