Watching foreign-language television can be a useful learning tool, and cable TV often provides access to different worlds’ worth of television.

On Time Warner Cable in New York City, for example, channel 507 is as of this writing the Arabic Channel, and free. I see that there is a premium channel as well, on 508. That one is called ART (Arabic Radio & Television Network), and you have to pay for it.

I didn’t find the offerings on the free channel of interest, but I didn’t really investigate it thoroughly enough to make a proper judgment. I am guessing that the paid channel would be better, so maybe splurge.