Al Jazeera struggles to break the US market

Posted by Jeffrey Blyth on 21 March 2006 at 13:24
Tags: Al Jazeera, Journalism, United States

Although it is signing up a big cast of celebrity journalists, including Sir David Frost and several similar big-name America newsmen, Al Jazeera International is not finding it easy to break into the US market. It had hoped to go on the air here in May with an English-language news programme. But it has still not got the go-ahead.

None of the big American cable networks or satellite programmers has shown an eagerness to carry the network. Many American companies, it is suspected, are leery of linking up with a news service many Americans see as a mouthpiece for Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda. Adding to the problem, there is also a shortage of space on the broadcast channels. Initially Al Jazeera International had hoped to be on the air at least 11 hours a day.

But even if Al Jazeera International secures an outlet in the US, many American advertisers, it’s felt, will be chary of linking up with the Qatar-based network – not that money appears to be a problem. The network claims it will be happy with as few as 50,000 viewers, as long as they are the right ones — those who are regarded as opinion makers.

Tags: Al Jazeera, Journalism, United States