Type | Non-profit |
---|---|
Country | International |
Availability | Worldwide |
Motto | Reaching the Corners of the Earth |
Headquarters | Baitul Futuh Studios |
Owner | Al-Shirkatul Islamiyyah |
Launch date | January 7, 1994 |
Official website | mta |
Part of a series on Ahmadiyya |
---|
Muslim Television Ahmadiyya International (MTA), a globally-broadcasting, nonprofit satellite television network and a division of Al-Shirkatul Islamiyyah, [1] was established in 1994 [2] and launched the world's first Islamic TV channel to broadcast globally.[ citation needed ] It serves as the official media outlet for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, based in Islamabad, Tilford and funded entirely from donations by the members of the community. The network operates ten 24-hour channels for different regions of the world, including terrestrial TV as well as satellite television. [3]
MTA, the first TV channel to broadcast Islamic programmes globally, was established by Mirza Tahir Ahmad, then-Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. MTA's first channel was launched on 31 January 1992, broadcasting the weekly Friday Sermon. On 7 January 1994, AMP was rebranded to MTA and increased its daily broadcasting hours from four to 12 hours, and in April 1996, to 24. [4] Initially, the studio and video library shared a 10 by 10 ft (3.0 by 3.0 m) room in the Mahmood Hall of Fazl Mosque equipped with a single video camera and "few ordinary flood lights". [4]
On 23rd of March 2007. MTA 3 Al-Arabiya was launched, which was an entirely Arabic channel, primarily for viewers of the Middle East. [5]
On 1 August 2016, MTA Africa 1 and 2 were inaugurated by Mirza Masroor Ahmad, [6] [4] broadcasting programmes in African languages as well as programmes from MTA 1. [4]
From 27 May 2020, known as Khilafat Day for Ahmadis, MTA rearranged its channels according to regions and introduced new channels. These new channels were formerly MTA1 broadcasting on different satellites, converted to cater viewers of specific regions by broadcasting programmes in specific languages for each region. MTA 1 on Galaxy 19 became MTA8 HD AMERICA with programmes in Urdu, English, French and Spanish. [7]
Channels | Satellite(s) | Formerly | Region |
---|---|---|---|
MTA1 World | Astra 2G | MTA1 | Americas (excluding Brazil & Canada) |
MTA2HD Europe | Hotbird 13C (HD) | MTA2 | Europe |
MTA3 العربية | Eutelsat 7 West A Galaxy 19 (HD) | MTA3 | Europe |
MTA4 Africa | SES-5 | MTA Africa 1 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
MTA5 Africa | Astra 2F | MTA Africa 2 | West Africa |
MTA6 Asia | AsiaSat 7 | MTA1 | Asia |
MTA7HD Asia | Eutelsat 70B (HD) | Europe | |
MTA8HD America | Galaxy 19 (HD) | North America | |
MTA8HD America + 3 | MTA 1+3 |
MTA runs 10 channels 24/7:
MTA Africa-based content is typically produced in the various African studios, such as the Wahab Adam Studios, based in Ghana. [9] [10] There are 4 African channels as part of the MTA International network:
The majority of its workers are volunteers with just a small percentage of paid full-time staff. Out of the 300 staff members that work in MTA's London offices, 90% are volunteers who dedicate their time to assist in the running of the network. [9]
MTA has introduced a number of apps for the benefit of their viewers across a variety of platforms on all devices such as TV, Phone, Tablets, Desktops etc. The network also makes use of social media to live stream their channels on websites such as Facebook and Twitter as well as YouTube to broadcast all four channels, live.
In addition, as MTA International operates globally and in many different countries, many countries (where Ahmadiyya may have a significant or even minor presence) have their own official MTA YouTube channel for their specific region or language, which allows them to stream regional events that may not be broadcast on MTA but may be streamed on YouTube such as Jalsa Salana Canada was streamed on the YouTube channel MTA Canada, as well as this, it allows specific countries to stream live translations for key programmes such as the Friday Sermon.
There are also applications for mobile and personal devices on a variety of platform such as Roku TV, Apple TV, Android and iOS. On 2 August (at Jalsa Salana UK 2019), a range of MTA applications were launched for Smart TV brands such as Samsung, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Panasonic, LG, Sony and Philips.
In most countries throughout the world in which there is a presence of the Ahmadiyya Community there is often a national MTA Studio. For example, MTA International USA Studios, [15] MTA International Canada Studios, [16] MTA International German Studios, [17] [18] MTA International Nigeria Studios, [18] MTA International Ghana Studios, MTA International UK Studios etc. The primary and main MTA Studios is based in London, MTA International Studios. [19]
The headquarters and UK studios of MTA International were located at Fazl Mosque, London when it was launched and are now located inside two larger studios built within the site of the Baitul Futuh Mosque Complex in South London, United Kingdom.
Regular television broadcasts in the United Kingdom started in 1936 as a public service which was free of advertising, which followed the first demonstration of a transmitted moving image in 1926. Currently, the United Kingdom has a collection of free-to-air, free-to-view and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, through which there are over 480 channels for consumers as well as on-demand content. There are six main channel owners who are responsible for most material viewed.
Doordarshan is an Indian state-owned public television broadcaster founded by the Government of India, owned by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and one of Prasar Bharati's two divisions. As one of India's largest broadcasting organisations in studio and transmitter infrastructure, it was established on 15 September 1959. Doordarshan, which also broadcasts on digital terrestrial transmitters, provides television, radio, online and mobile services throughout metropolitan and regional India and overseas.
Free-to-air (FTA) services are television (TV) and radio services broadcast in unencrypted form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen to the content without requiring a subscription, other ongoing cost, or one-off fee. In the traditional sense, this is carried on terrestrial radio signals and received with an antenna.
Religious broadcasting, sometimes referred to as faith-based broadcasts, is the dissemination of television and/or radio content that intentionally has religious ideas, religious experience, or religious practice as its core focus. In some countries, religious broadcasting developed primarily within the context of public service provision, whilst in others, it has been driven more by religious organisations themselves. Across Europe and in the US and Canada, religious broadcasting began in the earliest days of radio, usually with the transmission of religious worship, preaching or "talks". Over time, formats evolved to include a broad range of styles and approaches, including radio and television drama, documentary, and chat show formats, as well as more traditional devotional content. Today, many religious organizations record sermons and lectures, and have moved into distributing content on their own web-based IP channels.
Pakistan Television Corporation is the Pakistani state-owned broadcaster founded by the Government of Pakistan, owned by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It was established on 26 November 1964, with a pilot television station established at Lahore.
Multichoice is a South African company that operates DStv, a major satellite television service in Sub-Saharan Africa, and GOtv, a minor service operating in over nine countries of this area and Showmax service. MultiChoice was formed out of the subscriber-management branch of the M-Net terrestrial pay television company, and broadcasts the full range of M-Net channels on the DStv service. MultiChoice is owned by the media conglomerate of the same name. One of the subsidiaries of MultiChoice is DStv Now, renamed as DStv App, a service that delivers television transmission to mobile devices such as laptops, smart phones and notebooks.
The Baitul Futuh is a mosque complex of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, situated in Morden, London. It is one of the largest mosque complexes in Europe. Completed in 2003 at a cost of £15 million, entirely from donations of Ahmadi Muslims, the Mosque can accommodate a total of 13,000 worshippers. The main mosque has a height of 23m above ground, and to maximise capacity the building extends below ground. Baitul Futuh is located in the south-west London suburb London Borough of Merton. It is situated next to Morden South railway station, 0.4 miles from Morden Underground station and one mile from Morden Road tram stop.
Television in Pakistan started in 1964 and the first live transmission of Pakistan Television began on 26 November 1964, in Lahore.
Mirza Tahir Ahmad was the fourth caliph and the head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. He was elected as the fourth successor of the founder of the community, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. He was elected on 10 June 1982, the day after the death of his predecessor, Mirza Nasir Ahmad.
Peace TV is a non-profit Emirati satellite television network that broadcasts free-to-air programming. It is one of the world's largest religious satellite television networks. On 21 January 2006, Zakir Naik created the network, which is based in Dubai.
Mirza Masroor Ahmad is the current and fifth leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. His official title within the movement is Fifth Caliph of the Messiah. He was elected on 22 April 2003, three days after the death of his predecessor Mirza Tahir Ahmad.
Bai'at or Bay'ah is an Islamic practice of declaring on oath, one's allegiance to a particular leader. In an Islamic religious context, this oath is the standard procedure of pledging allegiance to a religious leader. It is known to have been practiced by the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his successors (caliphs) after him with those wishing to join the Islamic community. Within the Sufi tradition the term is used to refer to the process of initiation into a Sufi order with the idea of commending oneself to a spiritual master in exchange for the spiritual and moral guidance imparted by him. The Bay'ah is a practice that also forms a notable feature within Ahmadiyya Islam. Following the death of a Caliph, the leader of the Community, a pledge of allegiance is taken by the newly chosen Caliph from members of the Community based upon this prophetic model and the bay'ah is the standard procedure for formally joining the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
DD Chennai, formerly known as DD Madras, is a state-owned television channel telecasting from Doordarshan Kendra, Chennai.
Jalsa Salana is a formal, annual gathering of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. It was initiated in 1891 by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the founder of the community, in Qadian, India. Usually, the gathering spans three days, beginning with the flag hoisting ceremony following the Friday Sermon. Although the convention held in the UK is deemed to be the major and 'international Jalsa' attended by Ahmadis from across the world, Ahmadis in other countries hold their own national Jalsas, sometimes attended by the Khalifatul Masih.
MTA1 WORLD or just MTA1 is the first television channel of the MTA International satellite network. It was launched on 1 January 1994 and was a continuation of AMP or 'Ahmadiyya Muslim Presentation'. After the launch of sister channels, the channel was renamed as MTA1. However, it is still loosely referred to as MTA or MTA International.
Jāmi’ah al-Ahmadīyyah is an International Islamic seminary and educational institute with campuses in Pakistan, United Kingdom, India, Ghana, Canada, Germany, Nigeria, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone, and Kenya. In addition, there are affiliated Mu'alameen centers in Pakistan and Madagascar. Founded in 1906 as a Section in Madrassa Talim ul Islam by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, it is the main centre of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community for Islamic learning.
Al Hakam is an English-language, Islamic newspaper, published weekly by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at.
MTA Ghana is a 24-hour Islamic TV channel that was launched by the MTA International network, the first country-exclusive channel by the network, and based in Accra, Ghana. It is broadcast on the terrestrial platform and airs content in a number of local languages like Twi, Fante and Hausa. The channel, which is operated by the Wahab Adam Studio, is run by 17 full-time staff, and over 60 volunteers for various departments.
This 24-hour TV channel based in London is owned by the Ahmadiyya and has been transmitting via satellite and the Internet since 1994.
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