That Sheikh Khaled al-Guindy — vocal critic of Father Zakaria Botros — is involved with this may suggest that this new Islamic channel is also meant to counter the influence of Life TV. “Al Azhar to launch Islamic TV channel,” from the Gulf Times, May 31:
Egypt’s seat of Islamic learning, Al Azhar, will launch a satellite channel to give the world a better understanding of Islam and counter some Islamic outlets preaching “extremist dialogue”, its architects said yesterday. Sheikh Khaled al-Guindy, a scholar at Al Azhar mosque and university, said the new channel would reach out to the world’s 1.5bn Muslims and non-Muslims alike. “In the Age of Obama we realised it was time to look at new ways to deliver our message,” Guindy said, four days before US President Barack Obama visits Egypt to address the Muslim world. The launch is planned for the start of Ramadan in mid-August.