Saudi TV presenters covered from head to toe

JEDDAH (Al Arabiya)

A new TV show that discusses issues concerning teenage girls and female university students was recently broadcast with Saudi presenters dressed in black from head to toe, the Saudi English-language Arab News reported on Thursday.

The show entitled Asrar al-Banat (Secrets of girls) is broadcast on Awtan TV, a Saudi religious channel that was first aired in August 2008 and has women broadcasters who are covered in the all-enveloping abaya and niqab.

There are over 60 religious satellite channels that are broadcast across the Middle East. The channels represent different extremes when it comes to women presenters.

Channels such as Iqraa and al-Resalah have women presenters who do not cover their faces and dress in different colors, not necessarily black. On the other hand, channels such as al-Majd have no women presenters. Awtan is perhaps one that toes the middle line by allowing women to appear but only when covered from head to toe, the Saudi daily said.

Sawsan Salah Eddin, a 26-year-old Saudi BA graduate in Media and Guidance, is the presenter of Asrar al-Banat.

Sawsan presents the show with her sister, Sarah, a specialist in blood diseases, and psychologist Nawal Dawood.

The newspaper quoted Sawsan, who is from Riyadh, as saying she has long been looking to work as a journalist and has previously tried writing for the print media. She, however, said that she found TV shows effective in conveying her message.

She said that Saad al-Obaid, the program's director, "presented the idea to me and I liked it. He gave me the main points and I’ve been preparing the discussions ever since,” she said.

“Basically, this is my hijab and I don’t wear it because of the channel. The channel is an Islamic one and has a rule that I appear in full hijab,” Sawsan said.

Sawsan, who is appearing on TV for the first time, said she was initially anxious. Her family has, however, been supportive, particularly since “people will not see me” and the program reaches out to young women.

Speaking about a woman who criticized her appearance on TV Sawsan questioned why would people criticize her while she is in full hijab and leave other women who appear in improper dresses on various channels.

Asrar Al-Banat, which discusses different issues relating to teenage girls, is aired weekly and receives live phone calls from viewers.

Source: al-Arabiya.
Link: http://www.alarabiya.net//articles/2009/11/05/90364.html.