Three Sikh Channels

[Bundha]

We now have three Sikh channels - Sikh Channel - Sikh TV - Sangat.

Initial fears were that they may be a detriment to each other, maybe competing with each other but I think these fears can be more or less alaid.

Each has its own flavour.

Sikh Channel is the more established and I think is making a greater impact and effert to reach out to the community and is trying to make a difference within the community. The Panth Time programmes across the country takes a lot of organising, takes a lot of time and effort and at considerable cost. So Sikh Channel needs to be congratulated for this. It is quite easy to stick on a kirtan tape but quite another to make that effort to go out into the wider sangat and organise these events.

The Sikh council in the making is mostly due to the efferts of Sikh Channel and where praise is due we should show it.

Sangat channel airs some very nice kirtan - Bhai Balbir Singh, descendents of Bhai Mardana Ji, Gurmeet Singh Shaant. I particualrly liked the Spirit Fest which had the excellent Bibi Niringan Kaur and I would urge Sangat Channel to give air time to the American Singhs for their type of kirtan is very calming , very soothing and melodically and muscially of the highest level. They also air AKJ smagams, not particularly to my taste but I am sure very well appreciated by many. Their sehaj paath by the youngsters from Baru Sahib is amazing.

Sikh TV is also very good and they air many good kirtanies, they also air Bibi dhaddi jatha whose main person would give Mike tyson a run for his money in the bir ras stakes. Kiddies time is great and the learning of Punjabi through song is a great idea and I find myself singing along to it.

I think the two newer channels need to make a greater effort to find different types of programs. We need more discussion programs - there is certainly a place for the Sikh Channel format of old blokes and they do a good service - but it needs to be young and fresh to attract the younger audience. we need a panel of 'experts' and phone in question and answers. It would be all to easy for the two newer channels to just put out lots of kirtan, although this is good we need proper programmes , but most important we need good articulate presenters.

Sikh channel still reacts quicker to issues that arise and will have discussion on then, this has to be applauded, sangat/SikhTV has nothing like this at all, they need to. Their recent programme on Evangelical Christians was good.

One thing that is annoying across the board is the total lack to attention to scheduled programs, in time honoured "Indian Time" the Channels totally disregard their own schedules, so if a program is to start at 8:00, in reality it may start 7:45 or it may start at 8:25 ........or not at all.

[singh1986]

Agree with everything you said, espically about the timing, its so fustrating... you book to watch on programme on Sky and something else is on! But withiin our family we watch all 3 channels... loved Kirtan Jukebox, think it was on Sikh TV! non-stop different styles of kirtan!

[SikhWorldTv]

wjkk wjkf - I really enjoy ALL 3 of our Gurmat channels and love to watch the variety of Gurbani programmes. I especially like the Sikh Channel live from Derby Gurdwara and think we need more of this maybe direct from Punjab?

From what I have picked-up from the tv buzz there maybe at least one more Sikh channel launching in UK and Sunrise Tv is looking at expanding with more channels and religion has been cited as being a large part of one of the channels.

I am suprised Canada has not launched any Sikhi channels as with WaheGuru ji's Kirpa there is a massive Punjabi population there!

But I think online Sikh tv channels will be the future and it won't be long until we have a large selection soon.

GurFateh