On May 18, 2020, MEMRI TV reached the milestone of publishing its 8,000th clip – completing 53,200 minutes of translated content since the project launched in 2004. These 8,000 MEMRI TV clips – from Arab and Iranian as well as from Urdu, Turkish, and Russian channels – have had a huge impact. They are used by governments, intelligence agencies, law enforcement, legislatures, media, and academia worldwide – with 300 million views to date – in 195 countries. In addition, Arab and Iranian broadcast media frequently reference, comment on, and respond to MEMRI TV clips about them.
No One Else In The World Is Doing This Vital Work Of Monitoring Arab And Iranian TV
MEMRI TV monitors nearly 100 Arab, Iranian, and other television channels around the clock. No other organization in the world is monitoring, recording, translating, subtitling, and publishing clips from the region's media – let alone doing so 24/7.
From its very first months, MEMRI TV drew attention in the Arab and Muslim world. Dr. Fatima Al-Sayyegh, dean of the history department at UAE University, discussed the project in a 2004 interview, explaining to her audience that it was to "monitor television programs, mostly talk shows and religious programs, and to analyze them, in order to find out what the Arab man on the street thinks, what is the discourse in the Arab media that is directed at the Arab public."
Maintaining The Largest Archive Worldwide Of Translated Video Clips From The Arab And Muslim World
In the 16 years since its inception, MEMRI TV has amassed the largest archive worldwide of translated video clips from the Arab and Muslim world. But creating MEMRI TV clips is an expensive, time-consuming, and resource-intensive process – from recording the raw programming to translating the content to creating English subtitles to uploading the clip and transcript.
MEMRI TV's Work Requires Substantial Resources
Producing MEMRI TV clips requires an extensive and advanced monitoring system, and tremendous professional and human resources. Also, maintaining our extensive archives requires costly technological support. This is where your help and support are crucial.
MEMRI TV Clips Used By U.S. And Western Militaries, Intelligence Agencies, Law Enforcement In All 50 U.S. States
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Law enforcement agencies in the West need MEMRI TV clips: MEMRI TV clips are regularly requested and used by all branches of the U.S. military, and other countries' militaries, as well as by law enforcement in all 50 U.S. states – including fusion centers, counterterrorism divisions, terrorism task forces, and more. They are often requested by NATO and EU government bodies, and by Western governments, militaries, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies – the U.K., Germany, France, Australia, and more.
MEMRI TV's Impact Fighting Extremism – And Supporting Reformist – In The Arab And Muslim World - A
MEMRI TV’s mission includes exposing and fighting extremism in the Arab and Muslim world. One aspect of this is our Sermons by Imams in the West project, that monitors and translates extremist sermons across the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia – and that has led to public apologies, legal action, and even deportations. Many extremists in the region and in the West are aware of MEMRI TV's clips about them, and respond to them.
Some of the 8,000 clips of which MEMRI TV is most proud amplify and support reformist voices in the region, helping to bring their messages to the world. Many of them have become international figures after we translated and published their statements by the MEMRI TV Democratization in the Arab and Muslim World Project, which focuses on democratization, women's and minority rights, counter-radicalization, and education in the region.
Recent examples of clips of extremists responding to MEMRI TV research on them include:
Former Lebanese Minister Wiam Wahhab Recalls Being Called To Task In France For Making Antisemitic Comments Translated By MEMRI
In a May 3, 2020 interview on Al-Manar TV (Hizbullah-Lebanon), former Lebanese minister Wiam Wahhab referred to statements he had made "half-jokingly" in an interview on Jadeed TV (Lebanon) – that were translated and released in a MEMRI TV clip in 2010 – about his support for the German soccer team FC Bayern Munich because the Germans had burned the Jews, and expressed surprise that this statement had drawn negative attention from French politicians and media several years after later. He went on to explain in the Al-Manar interview that he dislikes Zionists, that he doesn't hate Jews, and that he didn't mean what he had said in his original statement on Jadeed TV. Wahhab had said in 2010: "I support Germany in politics and Brazil in soccer. I like the way Brazil plays. But I like the Germans because they hate the Jews and they burned them."
"I Was Asked [On Jadeed TV] Why I Supported Germany And [The] Bayern Munich [Soccer Team] And I Said That Maybe It Is Because They Burned The Jews"
Wiam Wahhab: "I have supported the Bayern Munich [soccer team] ever since I was little, but you wouldn't believe what problem they caused me once. I was interviewed on Jadeed TV and it was really strange... I was talking on Jadeed TV... I don't hate the Jews as Jews. I don't like the Zionists, but as a Jewish people... No.
"Many Jews invented things and introduced many good things to humanity. But when I was on Jadeed TV, I said half-jokingly... I was asked why I supported Germany and Bayern Munich and I said that maybe it is because they burned the Jews."
Jordanian Islamic Scholar Dr. Ahmad Al-Shahrouri: MEMRI Has Taken My Statements Out Of Context And Refuses To Apologize; Coronavirus And Zionism Are Both Pandemics We Need To Fight
Jordanian Islamic scholar Dr. Ahmad Al-Shahrouri said in an April 12, 2020 show on Yarmouk TV (Jordan) that MEMRI has been monitoring his show and taking statements of his out of context in order to incite against him and against Islamic thought. He said that as a result of MEMRI reports about him, the U.S.-based Arabic-language Al-Hurra TV invited him in order to discuss a statement of his in which he said there is a relationship between fighting the coronavirus and fighting Zionism (see MEMRI TV Clip No. 7868). Al-Shahrouri said that Al-Hurra TV had asked him about this in order to get him "all worked up" about the distorted and fabricated information that MEMRI has published against him, and he said that his original statement had been that Zionism should be fought like coronavirus is being fought because it is also a pandemic. He also reiterated a previous statement of his in which he said that Westerners' use of toilet paper is an indication that they have poor hygiene (see MEMRI TV Clip No. 7920).
"MEMRI Cuts Excerpts From... My Show, Translates Them... In Order To Incite Against Me And Against Islamic Thought... Time And Again, MEMRI Has Been Quoted By Media Outlets"
Ahmad Al-Shahrouri: "An American website called 'MEMRI' has been monitoring my show on this blessed TV channel. (MEMRI) cuts excerpts from the episodes of my show, takes them out of context, and translates them into English in order to incite against me and against Islamic thought. I was really intrigued by what the MEMRI website has been doing, and by its repeated quoting of me and clipping of my show. Time and again, MEMRI has been quoted by media outlets.
"One time, MEMRI's report was picked up by the American Arabic-language TV channel, Al-Hurra TV. Al-Hurra TV invited me to talk about some of the superstitions circulated by some religious scholars. I won't hide from you. As I was going to Al-Hurra's headquarters in Amman, the question kept nagging at me: Why did they pick me, Ahmad Al-Shahrouri, out of the thousands of shari'a experts, and out of the thousands of Islamic members of the media? What do they want from Ahmad Al-Shahrouri? But then I was asked the first question by the TV host in America. She said: 'You, Ahmad Al-Shahrouri, said that fighting Israel or Zionism is the path to fight the coronavirus.'"
Canadian Islamic Scholar Younus Kathrada: I say to MEMRITV That Jihad Does Not Mean Terrorism; Rather, It Means Establishing Islam Worldwide
On Friday, May 15, 2020, Canadian Islamic scholar Sheikh Younus Kathrada delivered a sermon that was uploaded to the Muslim Youth Victoria YouTube channel. At the conclusion of his sermon, he asked Allah to support those who wage Jihad for His sake. Addressing B'nai Brith, MEMRI TV, and "the enemies of Allah," Sheikh Kathrada clarified that Jihad in Islam does not mean terrorism, but that it rather means the establishment of justice. He further elaborated that the establishing justice means establishing Islam all over the world. In addition, he asked Allah to “deal with the enemies of Islam.” For more about Sheikh Younus Kathrada, see MEMRI TV Clips Nos. 7896, 7534, 7098, 6950, and 6906.
Without MEMRI TV, there is no understanding of what is being said on Arab and Iranian TV channels. But without your support, our work cannot continue. Please consider making your tax-deductible donation to MEMRI TV a recurring, monthly gift. This is the best way for you to help us. You can donate online, or mail a check to MEMRI, P.O. Box 27837, Washington, DC 20038-7837.
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