User talk:Muslim Kids TV

Muslim Kids TV

Introduction

'MuslimKids.TV' is a built in Canada digital entertainment platform. It offers premium content, best in class service and the safest digital environment for children around the world. Muslim Kids TV is recognized internationally as the largest provider of values-based English-language entertainment for Muslim families.

About Muslim Kids TV

Muslim Kids TV is the first Muslim streaming service for children to launch globally and has pioneered the delivery of educational entertainment to the global Muslim community. The service was launched in 2014 in an early prototype stage with a library of only 200 original titles. In 2017, the service was rebranded and mobile apps were added to the offering.

From 2018 onwards, the service was marketed to Muslim communities with a focus on the Muslim diaspora in English speaking countries including US, UK, Canada and Australia. During this time, the company expanded its content library through acquisitions from leading Muslim TV producers in Malaysia. In addition, a wider spectrum of educational and values based content was added from producers across the globe. Muslim Kids TV original productions continued at a high volume. These faith-based TV series provide the platform with a unique offering that is not available anywhere else. Muslim Kids TV originals make up 40% of the content library and the service is a pioneer in Muslim faith-based video games.

Through this period, the service experienced triple digit growth year over year. In 2020, the service expanded to include offerings on major Smart TV brands including Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, LG, Roku and Samsung.

In 2021, Muslim Kids TV expanded to Indonesia and Malaysia through partnerships with leading telecommunications companies, reaching customers through direct carrier billing and mobile wallets.

Globally, Muslim expenditure on media and recreation increased by 3.7% to $222 billion in 2019 from $214 billion in 2018. Muslim consumer spending on media is expected to grow at a rate of 3.9% from 2019 onwards to reach $270 billion in 2024. Muslim Kids TV is therefore, expected to see continual exponential growth. As a category leader among niche streaming services, the company is on a trajectory to attract large investment in the consumer media space.

History

Muslim Kids TV was founded by Michael Milo and Flordeliza Dayrit, husband and wife creative team. Their mission is to create healthy alternatives for families around the world who seek moral and faith-based programming and content that celebrates the global diversity of Muslim culture. It is hoped that through such programming, children strengthen their love of the Muslim faith and culture. The company is a private company as of 2021 funded through angel investors.

The platform has users in over 60 countries. It is a proprietary technology. Available on web, iOS and Android mobile apps and as a TV app on most major TV brands

Meet the Founders

Michael Milo

Michael Milo has 30 years experience in educational media, television, marketing and communications. His portfolio includes hundreds of children’s television series, documentaries, a feature film and numerous corporate videos. Milo began fulltime work on Milo Productions Inc. and launched Muslim Kids TV platform in 2014.

Flordeliza Dayrit

Flordeliza Dayrit emigrated to Canada from the Philippines when she was 15 years old. As a media artist and songwriter, her artwork engages children instantly through simple, catchy tunes and clever lyrics. She started her artistic career developing content for Muslim children. Her songs and stories provide kids with a positive self-image in a world where the messages they receive everyday are often negative and hateful.

The Idea Behind Muslim Kids TV

Islamic-themed media, spanning movies, mini-series and online content, continues to gain strength and prominence. Apps aimed at Muslim lifestyle needs are thriving while Islamic cultural values are being developed for children across numerous platforms.

On the big screen, Muslim movies are gaining traction, with the Mosquers Film Festival in Canada attracting 40 submissions from around the world, while Hollywood has shifted to more balanced portrails of Muslim characters.

While there is still a ways to go in terms of changing mentalities through the media, mainstream studios and streaming platforms are adapting and creating new content to appeal to Muslim viewers, both in non-Muslim majority countries and within the OIC. Animation geared for both children and adults is being developed, with notable developments over the past year in the Middle East.

The 57 OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) countries of the world represent close to 15% of global GDP (PPP). Furthermore, Muslims in total represent a 1.9 billion population, growing at a faster pace than the overall global population and containing some of the fastest-growing global economies.

The influence of the Islamic economy stretches beyond the OIC countries as more than 500 million Muslims reside as minorities in many nations. All over the world, this fast-growing and relatively young population of Muslims is increasingly asserting its Islamic sensitivities in the marketplace across lifestyle products. [STATE OF THE GLOBAL ISLAMIC ECONOMY REPORT 2019/20]

Analysing the demand of the Islamic economy, MuslimKids.TV was launched as a step towards fulfilling this need. It is a Canadian start-up providing unique faith and values-based children’s entertainment to the world’s Muslim families. The company is the category leader in Muslim streaming services and has been awarded the 2020 Best Halal Media Service certificate from the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

“MKTV has emerged as one of the global highest demand in Islamic children content for both mainstream TV content and Internet Protocol TV (IPTV). Its content educates children between 2 and 15 years old with basic Islamic education by promoting early literacy on Quran, preserving sunnah as a way of life and also instilling integrity and good moral values.”

-New Straits Times (30 Jul 2016)

A subscription site MuslimKids.TV was launched in 2016, for $9.99 a month, or $39.99 yearly.Children from ages 4 – 12 for the first time were provided an interactive and exciting platform of games, videos, and interactive, educational materials at their fingertips.

Operations and Financing

The company, being an integral player in the Western Canadian start-up ecosystem, is a resident at TEC Edmonton, a technology accelerator in Alberta. As of 2020, the company has been funded by angel investors in Canada. The company has also benefited from federal, provincial and local funding programs supporting Canadian technology and content development.

Programs and Shows

Maruf and Maryam: Maruf and Maryam and their parents are an all-American Muslim family. In this 2D animated series, kids explore their community as they learn how to be a Muslim in America!

Mama and Lulu: Mama and Lulu follow the adventures of Mama bird and her daughter Lulu as they fly to faraway lands. In every show, Lulu learns an important life lesson along with important things from the lives of God’s Prophets. The series celebrates the lives of single mothers.

Ody Sci: In this 2D animated comedy, science anchor Loijan Naba delves into the deepest mystery of science joined by her trustee subject matter expert, Hala Khan.

Creative Kids: Creative Kids are stories written by Muslim children from around the world. These great writers are winners of the Creative Kids Story Writing Contest. They share their experiences about the places they live and the people they meet.

Great Heroes of the Past: This series brings to life the stories of some of the greatest people who have ever lived - the early followers of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).

Hi Ho Hygiene: This fun series teaches young children practical ways to look after themselves to stay healthy and clean.

Furry Bunch: Allah has created animals in amazing ways. This program helps kids find out scientific facts and other amazing information about the creatures that share this planet.

Hurray for Baba Ali: Hurray for Baba Ali is a fun filled live action series featuring American Muslim commedian Ali Ardkani in his first role for children. The series teaches the good manners of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

Juz Amma: Recite the Quran along with Qari Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary one of the world’s best reciters of the Quran. This show is for anyone who wishes to memorize the last chapters of the Quran.

Race To Read: This show helps viewers to read and understand Arabic. Each video improves Arabic vocabulary, helping the child learn the words that are frequently used in the Quran with ease.

Media Speaks

The process of growth and development of a child is intertwined with the process of forming a personal identity. For Muslim children this is shaded by the messages projected in the media often times in very negative ways. Muslim Kids TV collaboration with TV AlHijrah was a key initiative in fine-tuning this revolutionary global vision.

"Indeed, we foresee the key role of a global platform such as Muslim Kids TV to be significant in promoting early Islamic children edutainment content. We hope this long-term strategic and creative collaboration with Muslim Kids TV will continue progressively, and not just confined to provide the very best Islamic children content by adding values to its viewers in Malaysia and this Asia-Pacific region, but also to commit and to spearhead the global initiatives of empowering Islam as a universal religion of peace, diversity and unity for all."

- TV AlHijrah CEO Izelan Basar

State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2017/18 states, “''The sector needs to move beyond South Asia and religious television: Despite notable interactions from the U.S., the negative sentiment attached to the sector, and strong representation of TV and radio in social media, indicates a strong need to recognize and support success stories such as Muslim Kids TV and Alchemiya.''” (p.26)

In his remark H.E Leonard F. Hutabarat Ph.D as Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Toronto, Canada, said “''The most important thing is the plan of Muslim Kids TV to invest in Indonesia in producing animated films with selected local partners that promotes history, cultural and local wisdom. I also hope that Muslim Kids TV could engage with Indonesian universities that have the best animation programs. This means that Indonesia should take advantage of Canada's strength in animation to enable technology transfer in the animation industry and give opportunities to young Indonesian talents.''”