Ismira Lutfia – In an effort to scoop audience ratings during the holy month, broadcasters have been serving up a banquet of Islamic-oriented shows for Muslim viewers, ranging from televised sermons to Ramadan specials and religious soap operas.

TV One spokesman Raldy Doy said on Monday that the station had devoted about eight hours of its daily airtime to specific Ramadan programming throughout the fasting month, including several shows broadcast during sahur, the predawn meal, and buka puasa, breaking of the fast, in the early evening.

Budi Darmawan, a spokesman for SCTV, said his station had allocated up to nine hours of airtime to Ramadan programming, including a regular segment on the news program, "Liputan 6," which covered special holy month-related news.

SCTV's seven-minute sermon program, "Mengetuk Pintu Hati" ("Knocking on One's Conscience"), Budi said, offered an alternative to the usual long-winded sermons broadcast during Ramadan, featuring only the main points of the day.

Hadiansyah Lubis, from broadcaster Trans TV, said that one of its daily Ramadan programs, "Mukjizat Shodaqoh" ("The Miracle of Charity"), related stories of miracles that happened to philanthropists and depicted testimonies from people who regularly gave alms.

AGB Nielsen Media Research data showed that SCTV's marquee Ramadan program, the religious drama series "Para Pencari Tuhan" ("Seekers of God"), which was now in its third season, claimed the highest ratings in the first week of the holy month with 5.3 percent of viewers during its morning time slot.