Fox to give Muslims airtime after complaints about 24

NEW YORK - Fox Television is giving US Islamic groups free advertising spots after complaints about the portrayal of US Muslims as Islamic terrorists in the Keifer Sutherland-starring hit drama '24'.

The fourth season of '24', starring Sutherland, premiered on Monday night on the US Fox TV Network.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations complained to the network after a Muslim family in the drama were operating as a terrorist sleeper cell and the mother killed her son's white non-Muslim girlfriend.

Rabiah Ahmed, a spokeswoman for Islamic group, 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."

He added that if the average American does not have any personal interaction with Muslims, at work or at school, they will base their perception of Islam and Muslims on what they see on television.

Fox TV has agreed to provide public service announcements sponsored by the Council of American-Islamic Relations to its stations. Local TV executives will decide when the Islamic groups can use the spots.

In the UK, the BBC refused to pull an episode from the second series of its hit spy drama series 'Spooks' in 2003, which featured British Muslim suicide bombers.

Muslim groups had complained about the episode saying that it encouraged hostile feelings towards Islam.

If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .

Market Reports

Get unprecedented new-business intelligence with access to ±±¾©Èü³µpk10’s new Market Reports.

Find out more

Enjoying ±±¾©Èü³µpk10’s content?

 Get unlimited access to ±±¾©Èü³µpk10’s premium content for your whole company with a corporate licence.

Upgrade access

Looking for a new job?

Get the latest creative jobs in advertising, media, marketing and digital delivered directly to your inbox each day.

Create an alert now

Partner content