A new study has uncovered how much Arab content is shown on TV and whether viewers of Arab descent are watching it. Dr. Shaheen studied over 100 popular entertainment programs, including cartoons, major documentaries, and nearly 200 episodes with Arab characters. While the results were surprising, the researchers were pleased with what they discovered. Despite these results, some media outlets still do not show much concern for the quality of content on Arab television. Fortunately, more people are starting to take notice of the programming.
In the United States, there are several different Arab television networks. The largest of these, ART America, reaches over 4 million Arabs as well as millions of non-Arabs. Available in the Web, MEA TV is also on cable in Washington, D.C., and in Michigan. TAC is restricted to the New York/New Jersey area, though it is also available online. Despite the competition, some American-Arab television channels have become popular worldwide.
The ART satellite network broadcasts content in various languages, including Arabic. Unlike most other satellite networks, ART employs Irdeto 2 encryption for its channels. The technical broadcast facilities of ART are located in Jordan Media City in Amman. During the 2011 FIFA World Cup, ART sold its sport channels to Al Jazeera Sport. The move sparked a furor in the Arab world. After the FIFA World Cup, the company sold most of its entertainment channels to Orbit Showtime Network.
