David Abraham questioned by MPs about whether decision to air Muslim ritual at 3am was patronising
Channel 4 chief executive David Abraham has rejected criticism that the broadcaster's decision to air the Muslim call to prayer at 3am was "patronising".
Abraham told MPs on the Commons culture, media and sport select committee on Tuesday that the daily broadcast fit "absolutely" with its public service remit and that it has attracted 181,000 viewers – almost triple its usual audience at 3am.
"I think it's a very thoughtful exercise in public service broadcasting," he said. "At a more general level, it is the case that the predominance of coverage associated [with Islam] is not positive and this is positive and it should be recognised for that."
Conservative MP Angie Bray questioned whether Channel 4 was "patronising" Muslims by airing the ritual at 3am, when most of the nation is asleep. Abraham countered that the timeslot is "just a practicality" of the three-minute call to prayer.
He said the broadcaster had received "very little" in the way of complaints about its decision to air the Islamic practice, after it grabbed the headlines when it was first announced earlier this month.
Lord Burns, the Channel 4 chairman, said there had been "no public outcry" over the broadcast. He added: "We feel this should not be a hugely controversial issue, certainly not in terms of the [public service] remit we have and the way one is trying to get involved with things [such as] minority viewing and various minority groups."
Burns and Abraham appeared before the Commons committee in an almost-two-hour inquisition focused chiefly on Channel 4's annual report, published in May.
However, Tory MP Philip Davies used the meeting to question the pair on Channel 4's revamped horse-racing coverage – asking whether its decision to drop John McCririck from its presenting team had led to a drop in ratings – and the "left-wing bias" of Channel 4 News.
"Are you sitting there complacently saying that Channel 4 News is not affected by that [liberal] bias" whatsoever?" he asked.
Abraham batted away the accusation – which was reinforced by Bray, the Tory MP – and described the Jon Snow-fronted programmes as "balanced". "If it wasn't, Ofcom would be knocking on our door telling us as much," he said.
Burns joked: "I think Jon [Snow] would probably fall into the category you would describe of liberal bias. If you were in any doubt about this you would follow his Twitter feed."
He added that he has never asked Snow which political party he votes for and said "I don't think that detracts at all from the way he does his job on screen and he will give a whole range of people a tough time."
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