The Newsroom

Al-Jazeera London Based Service

AJI Sign Sky Anchor p2+ (August 2005)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
JO
Jon
I know what you mean.
CA
cat
True, but as soon as the thing is privatised - which it will be - there is a whole new dimension for people to consider at al-Jazeera. Advertisers can't stand it, because the channel has such a terrible reputation, so it'll be interesting to see what happens.

I'd still be amazed if they managed to come up with a studio operation the size of Sky's new one.

I've seen al-Jazeera's existing 'Arabic' set, and whilst big and spacious, it is still tiny compared to what Sky are going to be offering.
BA
baoren
No. I do not agree that al-Jazeera has a terrible reputation. Its the governments that are against the channel. Its popular with the people in the Middle East.
NG
noggin Founding member
cat posted:

I've seen al-Jazeera's existing 'Arabic' set, and whilst big and spacious, it is still tiny compared to what Sky are going to be offering.


AIUI Al-Jazeera's English language service is coming from a new set-up - not sure if the Arabic service will be moving in as well. By all accounts it is a significant new operation.
CA
cat
The Arabic service has only just revamped with a new studio, so I can't see them moving out again.

All I meant by that was that if the Arabic service has a fairly average/large sized set, then I find it hard to imagine that the English service (which is still being done from Qatar) will be significantly bigger.

From watching al-Jazeera's programming, whilst I don't speak Arabic, it seems the existing service is really quite poor at rolling news. They seem to have fairly fixed news bulletins and then phone ins and recorded interview shows. If that's the format they're going with, I can't see it being a success.

I may be eating my words in a few years time, but I really cannot see the English-speaking world warming to the network.
TW
Time Warp
cat posted:
I may be eating my words in a few years time, but I really cannot see the English-speaking world warming to the network.


Didn't an ITV News senior leave for Al-Jazeera to go and make it a big ratings winner though?
JO
Jon
Well to be fair its not worked with ITV NEWS.
NG
noggin Founding member
time_warp posted:
cat posted:
I may be eating my words in a few years time, but I really cannot see the English-speaking world warming to the network.


Didn't an ITV News senior leave for Al-Jazeera to go and make it a big ratings winner though?


I think so - they've recruited a fair few experienced British journalists - and some less well-known promising newcomers I believe.

I had heard rumours that the new studios were going to be HD-ready - though anyone building a new studio these days would probably be stupid not to...
JO
john04
Since announcing plans to open a London office and launch an English-language service, al-Jazeera has signed up a number of staff from the BBC, ITV and Sky to join the station.

They have also signed Paul McKinney, who was previously head of news at Scottish Television.

20 days later

LO
Londoner
Sky's David Foster joins Al-Jazeera

31 days later

LO
Londoner
More on Frost and Al Jazeera
JO
Jon
So David Frost has now aslo come abaord it has been comfirmed.

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