TV Alhijrah (stylized in capital letters; also abbreviated as TVAH) is a state-owned Malaysian free-to-air Islamic television channel, owned and operated by Al-Hijrah Media Corporation, a company under the purview of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia of the Prime Minister's Department.[1][2][3] It is the Malaysia's first full-fledged and sharia-compliance free-to-air Islamic television network and broadcasts from its headquarters in the Islamic Centre Complex, Kuala Lumpur.[4]
History
Plans to launch TV Alhijrah were revealed in June 2009, when the channel was still on the technical stage,[5][6] and expected to go on air by mid-2010.[7][8]
Few days before its official launch, TV Alhijrah came up with a new rebranding image, in which is "more creative and fresh" and a new corporate slogan, "Segalanya Bermula di Sini" (Everything Begins Here).[9]
TV AlHijrah began its operations on 1 November 2010 on a trial basis.[10] It was a government initiative to establish a channel based on Islam and to provide an Islamic perspective through its programs.[11][12]
The station was officially launched on the 1st Muharram 1432H (7 December 2010) in a ceremony by the sixth Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak.[13][14] The event took place at the TV AlHijrah Digital Broadcasting Centre, Islamic Centre Complex, Kuala Lumpur.[15][16]
TV AlHijrah broadcasts 24 hours every day, and is watched globally for Muslim content, the latest news, political commentaries, educational material and Islamic-related entertainment. Starting on 1 June 2011, the channel is available on Astro platform.[18][19]
On 1 January 2012, TV Alhijrah began daytime transmissions and extend its broadcast time from 12 to 18 hours, starting from 6 am to 12 am.[20][21][22]
TV Alhijrah signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Makkah-based Gulf International Office (GIO) in July. The agreement gave the channel access to news and programming on five channels in Saudi Arabia.[23]
By August, TV Alhijrah began to expand its broadcast area at the Northern territory following the launch of its transmitter.[24]
In October, TV Alhijrah partnered with Peace TV from Dubai, United Arab Emirates to provide Islamic-themed content for mass audiences.[25]
In November 2012, TV Alhijrah planned to began 24 hours of broadcast, pending the Government's approval.[26] At the same time, its viewership average increased to 1.2 million viewers according to a survey by AC Nielsen.[27][28]
The channel expand its broadcast area to Melaka and Tampin as early as March 2013.[29]
The channel introduces its interactive portal in April 2015.[30]
In July 2016, TV Alhijrah's new studio facility, known as the Alhijrah Big Studio (ABS) was launched and began operated on August 2 in Cyberjaya.[31][32][33]
In 2020, TV Alhijrah celebrates 10th anniversary. The station also planned to become the host of the inaugural Islamic Media Awards, which was later cancelled.[34][35]
In 2021, TV Alhijrah partnered with Palestine TV for news and current affairs partnership.[36]
Management
The station's management team is headed by Namanzee Harris, who become its Chief Executive Officer since 2019 and supervised by the Board of Directors.[37]
Flagship programmes
Some of TV Alhijrah's flagship programmes include:
Assalamualaikum (Peace Be Upon You) – A breakfast television programme in the form of a talk show, discussing topics and issues related to Islam. First aired since 2011.[38][39]
Cinta Ilmu (Love Knowledge) – A programme discussing on various matters related to Islam, including manners and philosophy, featuring well-known Malaysian Muslim preachers in each episode. First aired since 2012.[40]
Awards and accolades
Year
Award-giving body
Category
Recipient
Result
Ref.
2019
The BrandLaureate World Halal BestBrands Awards 2019
World Halal Strategic Business Partner Brand Awards
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