“The decision that has been made is in no way because AJAM has done anything but a great job. The exec added: “I greatly respect the unrivaled commitment and excellent work of our team, which has created great journalism. (Bebeto Matthews/AP) Al Jazeera America is signing off for good. Al Jazeera America will be shut down on April 30, CEO Al Anstey … The network will shut down as of April 30, he said, and the broader Al Jazeera newsgathering operation, which has more strength overseas, will be available via mobile and digital in … Mana Rabiee reports. The move was announced at a companywide meeting on Wednesday. The American arm of the global news network will soon be shutting down… Al-Jazeera told its staff on Wednesday that it was shutting down its American network in April. Our commitment to great journalism is unrivaled.”. That narrative did not change after his departure. Al Jazeera bought Al Gore’s Current TV for $500 million and launched an American offshoot in August 2013, promising to deliver in-depth journalism on serious topics. O’Brian shed very little light on the editorial strategy, making one appearance for TV reporters in July 2014 only to emphasize that the outlet had “no editorial influence at all from Qatar.” That ultimately translated to few in media ever giving much coverage to AJAM, except for bouts of negative news — namely Al Shihabi’s departure and several rounds of layoffs. He can be reached at jbarajas@newshour.org. The network aired a documentary that claimed that Denver Broncos quarterback and NFL icon Peyton Manning (and a number of other professional athletes) used performance-enhancing drugs. The ambitious but little-watched Al Jazeera America news channel will shut down on April 30 after a little more than two years on television. Jan. 13, 2016 The cable news channel Al Jazeera America, which debuted in 2013 to great fanfare when it promised to cover American news soberly and seriously, will be … As many as 700 staff members could lose their jobs, according to sources at the company. The final nail in the coffin comes less than a month after a rare instance of a story putting AJAM in the headlines. Al Jazeera America, the Qatari-owned cable news station that launched in 2013, will shut down at then end of April, the company announced during a staff meeting this afternoon. In a memo to Al Jazeera America staff Wednesday, CEO Al Anstey said the channel’s business model is “simply not sustainable in light of the economic challenges in the U.S. media marketplace.”. Al Jazeera America to shut down. Left: The New York Times first reported on Wednesday that the network would be shuttered. © 1996 - 2021 NewsHour Productions LLC. There were high hopes for Al Jazeera America when it took over the place on the dial formally occupied by Al Gore’s Millennial-targeted Current TV. Copyright © 2021 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. The news was announced at a sudden staff-wide meeting on … The company has been closed down for, among other things, engaging in … Al Jazeera’s big bet on becoming a player in U.S. cable news is coming to an end. Joshua Barajas is the arts editor for the NewsHour. All Rights reserved. However, although Al Jazeera America garnered several accolades for its work, it was unable to convince viewers to tune in. The American arm of the Qatar-based Al Jazeera network will shut down on April 30, less than three years after it debuted as an alternative in the world of cable broadcast news. Al Jazeera America, the network founded in 2013 as a sober, thoughtful alternative to traditional cable news, will shut down in April, company executives told employees Wednesday. Al Jazeera America is shutting its doors less than three years after making a massive investment in the U.S. media market, an … Al Jazeera America, which debuted in 2013, reportedly announced Wednesday that it was shutting down at the end of April, citing the “economic challenges in the U.S. media market place.” Why Arab states are wrong to try to shut down Al Jazeera Today's Headlines The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/al-jazeera-america-announces-it-will-shut-down-by-end-of-april. Al Jazeera America President Kate O’Brian tearfully relayed the news to stunned colleagues, alongside CEO Al Anstey. A man works at a desk in the Al Jazeera America broadcast center in New York on August 20, 2013. The American arm of the Qatar-based Al Jazeera network will shut down on April 30, less than three years after it debuted as an alternative in the world of cable broadcast news. Employees of the struggling news network known … During its two-year history, Al Jazeera America won several media awards including the Peabody, Emmy, and Short… Although more details weren’t given, Anstey added that the network’s parent company planned to expand its global digital coverage later this year. Al-Jazeera America to shut down after less than three years on air The Qatar-funded cable news network’s last US broadcast will be 30 April, as … “I have witnessed and worked alongside some of the most talented people any organization could wish for. Mark Henle / Al Jazeera America Vemma Nutrition headquarters in Tempe, Arizona. I like to think of myself as a pretty progressive, left-leaning, non-bigoted person — but when most of the "Al [something]"s you hear about on the American news are people blowing stuff up, I'm not proud to admit that even to me, the name "Al Jazeera" sounds just a bit terrorist-y.. Al Jazeera America will soon shut down The ambitious but little-watched Al Jazeera America news channel will shut down on April 30 after a little … Al Jazeera America, the cable television news outlet owned by the Qatari government, says it is shutting down less than three years after its high-profile launch. Al Jazeera America to shut down January 14, 2016 today 0 Comment. All Rights Reserved. The company, which supplies 370 megawatts (MW), or about one-quarter of Lebanon’s supply, told the government this week it would have to shut down in … Thank you. Going forward, Al Jazeera will expand its digital presence, said Anstey, which is the route many observers counseled in the first place. The logo for Al Jazeera America is displayed outside of the cable news channel's offices on January 13, 2016 in New York City. The cable news channel Al Jazeera America, which debuted in 2013 to great fanfare when it promised to cover American news soberly and seriously, will be shutting down by the end of April. Al Jazeera America will shut down its cable news channel despite spending heavily to break into the US market. Al Jazeera America will be shut down on April 30, CEO Al Anstey announced Wednesday. The cable news channel Al Jazeera America, which debuted in 2013 to great fanfare when it promised to cover American news soberly and seriously, will be shutting down by the end of April. Al Jazeera America will shut down its cable TV network in April The logo for Al Jazeera America is displayed outside of the cable news channel’s offices on Jan. 13 in New York City. That includes ABC News vet Kate O’Brian, who served as the president of the network throughout its brief existence. Manning denied the claims, and the story has yet to gather any of the steam that that level of accusations may have on another network. Joshua Barajas. NEW YORK — Al Jazeera America will shut down on April 30 after a little more than two years on the air. It was also reported that this closure would lead to the loss of about 700 jobs. powered by. We have increasingly set ourselves apart from all the rest, and the achievements of the past two-and-a-half years should be a source of immense pride for everyone.”. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images. Not surprised about the news, for this exact reason. What is perhaps most interesting about AJAM’s two-and-a-half year run is how little anyone at the network spoke out. Al Jazeera America will cease operations at the end of April, the final chapter in a tale of failed ambition … Al Jazeera America … Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. “In the news environment today, there is so much competition that it is virtually impossible for a new company to get any traction,” he said. Al Jazeera America, which debuted in August 2013, announced today that they are shutting down. CEO Al Anstey said the business model … (Reuters) On January 14, 2016, the Al Jazeera Media Network announced that it would shut down Al Jazeera America's pay-TV and online operations on April 30, 2016, citing plummeting oil prices and the highly competitive nature of the American media market; the channel's last day of operation was later confirmed to be April 12. For video troubleshooting and help click here ... Show Clips. Al Jazeera America, the American cable news outlet owned by Qatar-based Al Jazeera, plans to shut down less than three years after its much-ballyhooed launch, unable to … MLB players Ryan Howard and Ryan Zimmerman have filed defamation suits against Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera America Reveals Plans to Shut Down in Spring. Joshua Barajas The news was announced at a sudden staff-wide meeting on Wednesday afternoon. AJAM wrapped the year with a mere 7,000 average primetime viewers in the news demographic of adults 25-54, essentially a scratch. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. Al Jazeera America, which debuted in August 2013, announced today that they are shutting down. “I know the closure of AJAM will be a massive disappointment for everyone here who has worked tirelessly for our long-term future,” Anstey added. Al Jazeera America will shut down by April 30. 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Al Jazeera's big bet on becoming a player in U.S. cable news is coming to an end. The move was announced at a companywide meeting on Wednesday. by Al Jazeera Staff. Since its launch in 2013, the work done by the team at Al Jazeera America has been recognized with nearly every major award an American news organization can receive,” Anstey said in a statement. The cable news outlet wrapped 2015 with a mere 7,000 average primetime viewers in the news demographic of adults 25-54. AJAM’s end comes less than a year after it faced a huge crisis in 2015, when CEO Ehab Al Shihabi left amid accusations of sexism and anti-Semitism — not to mention the network’s crippled ratings. https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/al-jazeera-america-shut-down-1201679112 "There are executives […] Learn more about Friends of the NewsHour. NEW YORK — Al Jazeera America will shut down its operations in the United States by the end of April, the company told employees in a meeting on Wednesday. Please check your inbox to confirm. Al Jazeera America blames 'economic landscape,' not sports-doping report, for shutdown Visitors wait in the lobby of Al Jazeera America after the network’s first broadcast on … Al Jazeera America to shut down January 14, 2016 today 0 Comment. The stateside presence of the Doha-based news outlet has built a strong reputation in other markets and aggressively courted big names in U.S. broadcast. Al Jazeera America will shut down in April after less than three years on the air, the company announced Wednesday. The channel was available to about 54 million households, but prime-time ratings hovered around 30,000 viewers, The New York Times reported. Subscribe to ‘Here's the Deal,’ our politics newsletter. The … THE Al Jazeera America cable news network will shut down two and a half years after its launch, a victim of a rough business environment and political headwinds it could not … Philip Seib, author of “The Al Jazeera Effect,” told the Associated Press that the news of the network’s closure was “certainly not surprising.”. Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. Al Jazeera America will shutter its cable TV and digital operations by April 30 of this year, the company announced Wednesday. News, analysis from the Middle East & worldwide, multimedia & interactives, opinions, documentaries, podcasts, long reads and broadcast schedule. Employees of the struggling news network known as AJAM were informed of the decision during an all-hands staff meeting on Wednesday afternoon.