A new Muslim-oriented cable television network is broadcasting from Buffalo, N.Y., presenting news coverage, dramas, children's shows, classic movies, and programs about food, travel and culture.

The channel, called Bridges TV, is believed to be one of the first English-language cable stations aimed at the rapidly growing Muslim demographic in the United States.

In a news conference, founder and chief executive Muzzammil Hassan said the purpose of Bridges TV is to "build bridges with mainstream America."

"Bridges is all about building a platform to allow people of different opinions, value systems, religions and history to really come together and sort things out," Hassan said.

Programming will be delivered nationwide via a fiber-optic link from the Buffalo studios of WNED-TV to a satellite provider in Staten Island, N.Y.

Shows include a soap opera featuring a Muslim father confronted with his daughter's desire to marry a non-Muslim, and "Allah Made Me Funny," which chronicles a Muslim comedy tour.

Bridges anticipates 50,000 initial subscribers.

It has carriage agreements with Comcast Cable Company in Detroit, Mich. -- home to a large American Muslim population, and with Buckeye Cable, a smaller firm that serves northern Ohio and southern Michigan.

The network also is available by GlobeCast satellite and by broadband television.

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