(AKI) - ZDF, one of Germany's main public television broadcasters, said Friday it plans to commission and then post on its website sermons by Islamic clerics every Friday beginning in mid-2007. ZDF said it would select preachers with the assistance of German Muslim organisations and that it would retain final editorial responsibility over the content. The decision follows appeals by Muslims in Germany to broadcasters to grant Islam airtime similar to that given to Christians. A weekly Christian television address is aired every Sunday by another public broadcaster, ARD. However, ZDF said it would initially put the Muslim address on the internet only and see how many people read it. According to ZDF director general Markus Schaechter, the deputy chairman of the German council of Jews, Salomon Korn, who is also on the ZDF board, had welcomed the plan. Korn earlier this month criticised the project, saying a multi-faith programme would be better. Schaechter said it had been agreed in talks with the council of Jews to discuss creating a similar online space for the Jewish faith. Some 3.5 million Muslims live in Germany.