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The Week in Germany: Current Affairs March 2, 2007 Public Broadcaster Plans Online Muslim Friday Sermons
ZDF,
one of Germany's big four television broadcasters, has confirmed plans
to commission and publish online sermons by Islamic clergy every Friday
starting this summer. ZDF said it would choose preachers in conjunction
with German Muslim organizations and retain final editorial responsibility
over all content. The "Friday Forum" project is modelled on a weekly Christian
television address which is aired every Sunday by another public broadcaster,
ARD.
But ZDF said it would initially put the Muslim address on the Internet
only and see how many people read it. Markus Schächter, director general of ZDF,
said from its headquarters in Mainz
near Frankfurt that it was planned to offer opinions and talks from a
Muslim point of view on ethical topics, spirituality and current events.
The articles in German will be available to anyone with a web connection.
ZDF normally pays a fee to all its contributors. Schächter said the deputy chairman of the German Council of Jews,
Salomon Korn, who is also on the ZDF board, had welcomed the plan. Previously,
Korn had criticized the project, saying a multi-faith program would be
better. Schächter said it had been agreed in talks with the Council
of Jews to discuss creating a similar online space for the Jewish faith. Ruprecht Polenz, chairman of the ZDF Council, said the broadcaster had
a responsibility to help integrate the 3.5 million Muslims of Germany
into society. Just as Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath and Sunday is the Christian day
of worship, Friday is the holy day in Islam. (dpa) Links: |
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