Al Jazeera to launch English-language
news channel
Indiantelevision.com
Team
(1 October 2004 9:00 pm)
MUMBAI: Qatar based Arabic TV broadcaster,
Al Jazeera will launch a English-language satellite news channel service
by the fourth quarter of 2005.
Speaking at the annual Casbaa convention in Hong Kong on Wednesday,
Al Jazeera International managing director Nigel Parsons said that
the English-language network will operate from Washington, London.
They are yet to determined the location of the Asia Pacific hub. But
the channel will be headquartered in Doha.
Additionally, the English-language news
channel is looking at recruiting approximately 300 staff. Speaking
about the target audience, Parsons said, "Al Jazeera's English-language
service is global, not just Muslims who don't speak Arabic."
"The new channel will not be an English translation of our Arabic
channel," he added. "It will have international appeal and
aims to fill gaps in existing output. I think we might have a ready
audience there, but it is not going to be an anti-western or anti-American
channel."
There are also plans to launch a children's
channel and a documentary channel during 2005. The Qatar-based broadcaster
is already broadcasting Arabic-language news channel and Arabic-language
sports channel.
