A disagreement about the appointment of an interim director is threatening to break up a new Muslim broadcasting company in the Netherlands. The group was given a five-year broadcasting licence last year after the previous Islamic broadcasting group split up over religious differences.

The two factions making up the new organisation (OUMA) hold differing views about the candidate for the directorship, Maurice Koopman, who also headed the previous broadcaster. The one group, Academica Islamica, says that there was an agreement not to appoint people who were involved in the breakup of the old company. But the other faction (SMON) says that Mr Koopman's experience makes him a good interim director.
 
Religious groups are entitled to a couple of hours of airtime a week on national public radio and TV channels. There is just one licence per religion, which in this case necessitated close co-operation between several Islamic groups whose views do not always agree. The new OUMA combination is expected to start broadcasting in September.
 
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