Muslims attack 'unbalanced' portrayal in Sky's 24 series

by Julia Pearlman,, Brand Republic 27-Jan-05, 12:00

LONDON - The UK's largest Muslim organisation has slammed Sky's decision to broadcast the new series of the hit US drama '24', centring on a new Islamic terror attack, claiming there is not a single positive portrayal of a Muslim character in the show to date.

The Muslim Council of Britain's media committee met with senior executives from Sky Television to discuss their concerns about the show's content, which depicts followers of Islam as terrorists.

The show, starring Kiefer Sutherland as a counter-terrorism agent who works for the secretary of defense, features a family who appear to be normal family, but turn out to be a sleeper terrorist cell.

Iqbal Sacranie, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: "We are greatly concerned by the unremittingly hostile and unbalanced portrayal of Muslims in this series of '24', based upon a preview of the first five episodes that we have seen."

The group argues that at a time when negative stereotypes of Muslims are on the increase, it feels that as a major broadcaster Sky has a "responsibility to challenge these insidious views" and not help to reinforce them.

Complaints from British Muslims follow similar accusations made by US Islamic groups. Rupert Murdoch-owned Fox Television, sister station to Sky, gave US Islamic groups free advertising spots after complaints about the portrayal of US Muslims as terrorists.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations complained to the network about the Muslim family and, particularly, the Muslim mother who kills her son's white non-Muslim girlfriend.

Rabiah Ahmed, a spokeswoman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said: "There aren't any positive or neutral portrayals of Muslims on TV; whenever Muslims or Arabs are portrayed it is always in a stereotypical way."

The Muslim Council of Britain said it had received assurances from Sky that it would undertake a pro-active review of the '24' episodes with a view to ensuring that its showing of the series complies with broadcast regulations, which may entail editorial changes.

The council's delegation consisted of Inayat Bunglawala, Tariq Hameed and Ehtisham Hibatullah from the media committee. David Smyth, the head of acquisitions for the Sky One, led the Sky delegation.

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