Al Jazeera Media Network, which, in turn, is funded by the government of Qatar. It is the first English-language news channel to be headquartered in Western Asia. Al Jazeera broadcasts in over 150 countries and territories, and has a large global audience of over 430 million people. Al Jazeera is known for its in-depth and frontline reporting, particularly in conflict zones. It has been praised for its in-depth coverage of events such as the Arab Spring and the Gaza–Israel conflict. Al Jazeera's coverage of the Arab Spring won the network numerous awards, including the Peabody Award. The channel was launched on 15 November 2006, at 12:00 pm GMT. Although it had initially aimed to commence broadcasting in June 2006, the launch had to be postponed due to the unavailability of its HDTV technology, which was not yet ready at that time. The channel was initially slated to be named Al Jazeera International, but the name was changed nine months before the launch. This decision was influenced by one of the channel's backers who argued that the original Arabic-language channel already encompassed an international scope.
The channel was expected to reach approximately 40 million households, but it significantly surpassed this launch target, extending its reach to 80 million homes. By 2009, the service was accessible in every major European market and was available to 130 million homes across over 100 countries through cable and satellite, as reported by a spokeswoman for the network in Washington. However, the channel had limited penetration in the American market, where it was only carried by one satellite service and a handful of cable networks. Al Jazeera English subsequently launched a campaign to enter the North American market, including a dedicated website. In August 2011, it became available to some cable subscribers in New York, having previously been an option for some viewers in Washington, D.C., Ohio, and Los Angeles. The channel primarily reached the United States through its live online streaming service. Following the approval from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission on November 26, 2009, Al Jazeera English became readily available on most major Canadian television providers, including Rogers and Bell Satellite TV.
Al Jazeera English and Iran's state-run Press TV were the only international English-language television broadcasters with journalists reporting from inside both Gaza and Israel during the 2008–2009 Israel-Gaza conflict. Foreign press access to Gaza has been limited via either Egypt or Israel. However, Al Jazeera's reporters Ayman Mohyeldin and Sherine Tadros were already inside Gaza when the conflict began and the network's coverage was often compared to CNN's initial coverage from inside Baghdad in the early days of the 1991 Gulf War. The channel may also be viewed online. It recommends online viewing at its own website or at its channel on YouTube. Al Jazeera English HD launched in the United Kingdom on Freeview on 26 November 2013, and began streaming in HD on YouTube in 2015. On 1 January 2020, Al Jazeera English debuted a new major graphics package for the first time since the channel launched to coincide with remodeled main Doha studio, the last main studio of the channel's three in Doha, London, and Washington D.C. to receive an upgrade since the channel's launch in 2006.
Courtesy : Wikipedia
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