Jabhad Posted November 1, 2006 Al Jazeera sets English launch date Al Jazeera is to launch its English-language news and current affairs channel on November 15. The Al Jazeera Network announced on Tuesday that the channel, part of the network and the sister channel to Al Jazeera, will begin broadcasting from its Doha headquarters at 1200 GMT on that day. The Al Jazeera English-language website is being relaunched at the same time. The announcement of the channel's forthcoming launch coincides with the 10-year anniversary of Al Jazeera, the network's Arabic-language channel. Wadah Khanfar, director-general of Al Jazeera Network, said: "We are extremely proud of what Al Jazeera has achieved over the past ten years. "Al Jazeera today is an international media organisation. Al Jazeera English will build on the pioneering spirit of Al Jazeera and will carry our media model ... to the entire world. "The launching of the English channel offers the chance to reach out to a new audience that is used to hearing the name of Al Jazeera without being able to watch it or to understand its language. "The new channel will provide the same ground-breaking news and impartial and balanced journalism to the English-speaking world." Agenda-setting The English channel will have broadcast centres in Doha, Kuala Lumpur, London and Washington DC. The website aljazeera.net/english will showcase the English channel's agenda-setting editorial mission and provide constantly updated coverage of news events from around the world, along with in-depth analysis and background. It will provide RSS feeds, live streams and downloadable clips from the channel, as well as interactive discussions and polling. Programme and presenter information as well as weather reports, live business data and sport will also be available. Aljazeera Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FatB Posted November 1, 2006 about fillping time Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted November 1, 2006 about time! At least now there will be another source. Sky and Fox must be very paniky Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacaylbaro Posted November 1, 2006 They should focus on the US and Europe as they need other channels apart from Fox and CNN ,,,, Euronews is not that bad but we need Al-Jazeera to speak loud to the westerns ,,,,, VIVA AL-JAZEERA ,,,,,,,,,,,, May be is time i should seek an apportunity at the channel ,,, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jabhad Posted November 1, 2006 It will not be easy for Aljazeera to get in to the north american market because of the strong opposition from the American government, the evangilical christians and the Jewish community. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jabhad Posted November 1, 2006 Al-Jazeera English TV date set The English-language channel's launch has been delayed repeatedly After repeated delays, the Arabic TV station al-Jazeera has announced a launch date of 15 November for its English-language news channel. US President George W Bush once allegedly threatened to bomb the Doha-based station. The channel is hoping to reach a target audience of 40 million households in Europe, Africa and Southeast Asia. Al-Jazeera International plans a 24-hour service from bureaus in Kuala Lumpur, Doha, London and Washington DC. It is also seeking to be the first network to broadcast globally in high-definition (HDTV) format. Pioneering "We are extremely proud of what al-Jazeera has achieved over the past 10 years," said Wadah Khanfar, the network's director-general, referring to the inauguration of the Arabic-language on 1 November 1996. "Al-Jazeera today is an international media organisation. Al-Jazeera English will build on the pioneering spirit of al-Jazeera and will carry our media model to the entire world. "The launching of the English channel offers the chance to reach out to a new audience that is used to hearing the name of al-Jazeera without being able to watch it or to understand its language," Mr Khanfar says. "The new channel will provide the same ground-breaking news and impartial and balanced journalism to the English-speaking world." US difficulties Despite the Washington bureau, and the signing up of star names such as David Frost and Rageh Omaar, breaking into the American market has proven difficult. Commercial director Lindsey Oliver says she is confident the new channel will eventually be carried by major US cable and satellite operators, while conceding that al-Jazeera tended to inspire "very strong feelings". A recent poll found 53% of Americans opposed the launch of the channel and two-thirds of Americans thought the US government should not allow it entry to the US market. As well as 20 bureaus of its own, al-Jazeera International will also be able to call on the resources of its sister Arabic channel. But the extent to which the two channels will follow the same editorial policy is not entirely clear. Independent Al-Jazeera International Managing Editor Nigel Parsons says the new channel will be "totally independent", although plans announced earlier this year to put the manager of the Arabic channel in charge of both channels reportedly caused disquiet among journalists at the English-language channel. Reassurances were given that the two channels would operate in a similar "spirit", although they could cover stories differently. It was reported that editors from both channels were trying to come up with a common mission statement and a code of conduct which included an agreement on the use of terms such as "martyrs", "terrorism" and "resistance". The new channel has its detractors. Palestinian journalist Khalid Amayreh recently voiced fears that it would deviate from the "policies and ideals of the mother channel". He claimed that there was a risk it could assume an international identity very similar to its main Western competitors, pointing out that al-Jazeera's English-language website relied heavily on Western news agencies. BBC Monitoring selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaux abroad. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Khayr Posted November 1, 2006 The English channel will have broadcast centres in Doha, Kuala Lumpur, London and Washington DC. How can you have offices in London and Washington D.C., yet claim to represent a pro-arab point of view? Lobbists will lobby regulatory boards to fine and maybe even close down the station, if anti-western liberal commentaries and newcasts are made by this sister station. These English speaking and english bred newscasters will inevitabley carry their own worlview which is laced with pro-liberal democractic idealism. It was reported that editors from both channels were trying to come up with a common mission statement and a code of conduct which included an agreement on the use of terms such as "martyrs", "terrorism" and "resistance". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
