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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAl Jazeera is buying Current TV
If the deal is completed, Current will provide the pan-Arab news giant with something it has sought for years: a pathway into American living rooms. Current is available in about 60 million of the 100 million homes in the United States with cable or satellite service.
Rather than simply use Current to distribute its existing English-language channel, called Al Jazeera English and based in Doha, Qatar, Al Jazeera will create a new channel based in New York, according to people with knowledge of the deal negotiations. Potentially called Al Jazeera America, roughly 60 percent of the programming will be produced in the United States while the remaining 40 percent will come from Al Jazeera English.
Al Jazeera may absorb some Current TV staff members, according to the people, who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. But Currents schedule of shows will most likely be dissolved in the spring.The plan will bring Al Jazeera, which is financed by the government of Qatar, into closer competition with CNN and other news channels in the United States.
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/02/al-jazeera-said-to-be-acquiring-current-tv/?smid=tw-share
DonCoquixote
(13,616 posts)Off it goes, even if they bring back Keith.
physioex
(6,890 posts)He has a very loyal following on Youtube, and hopefully it won't make any difference. I am going to miss the Gavin Newsom show the most.
RebelOne
(30,947 posts)Nictuku
(3,607 posts).... I am a Current watcher, but if they replace it with Al Jazeera, I can't see that I'll be tuning in much. I watch Bill Press in the early morning, and then Stephanie Miller when I'm able.
crazyjoe
(1,191 posts)tomg
(2,574 posts)Cenk, Granholm, Miller, Press. This news sucks.
octoberlib
(14,971 posts)I do have friends who read and watch Al Jazeera online because they feel it's a site where they can get unbiased American news.The conservatives are going to be screeching about the Muslims taking over the country.
tomg
(2,574 posts)Al Jazeera. But couldn't they have bought the Golf Channel or the Bass Channel or one of those "Aliens Who Ran for the Presidency" channels.
Aristus
(66,328 posts)See how they react to that!
RomneyLies
(3,333 posts)regnaD kciN
(26,044 posts)...we find we're going to lose her show on television as well.
NOVA_Dem
(620 posts)I guess I'll keep watching him on Youtube.
octoberlib
(14,971 posts)Surely another cable channel can be found for them. I get Left radio in my car but it's not the same.
Larkspur
(12,804 posts)at least for a year. CNN sucks, so they shouldn't follow it's lead right now.
I wonder of Spitzer will stay if asked?
But I look forward to Al Jazeera planting a foot into American news and talk market. Maybe they will help balance out the "Israel is never wrong so you can't criticize them" coverage like we get on the other channels.
freckleface
(57 posts)So, this was your best deal, Mr. Vice President? Progressive programing in radio markets rushing into the arms of sports, Air America defunct, and now CURRENT TV! Nightmare on Every Street!!
IWelcome TheirHatred
(50 posts)most , if not all of the line-up on Current will be let go.
octoberlib
(14,971 posts)octoberlib
(14,971 posts)@brianstelter: Current will cease to exist. Gore will serve on the "advisory board" for "Al Jazeera America."
Z_I_Peevey
(2,783 posts)Current is sold
Z_I_Peevey
(2,783 posts)are not optimistic.
marmar
(77,078 posts)...... like RT, it provides some fresh perspective on America that you won't get from our PRAVDA-esque media.
FresnoDemocrat
(17 posts)insult AJ by comparing it to RT. AJE is a great news source, RT is basically the Russian Press TV except the anti-Americanism is more subtle.
physioex
(6,890 posts)But Thom Hartmann posts his clips and on youtube and DU, and I was quite impressed with what I saw.
GoCubsGo
(32,080 posts)The only difference between that and the Current show was that there was no news with Jackie Schechner, for whom I feel bad, as she'll be out of a job, while Steph and Bill Press will still have their radio shows. There are several radio stations that have web-streaming, such as WCPT out of Chicago, which I how I listen to them.
Too bad about Current, but it didn't help that most people have no access to it, other than bootleg web-streaming, which isn't always working. Maybe if they had subscription viewing online, they might have been able to survive.
octoberlib
(14,971 posts)octoberlib
(14,971 posts)Bobphillypa ?@Bobphillypa
@current Ur being bought by a TERRORIST organization. Ull b unemployed soon, so stop tweeting now n start looking 4 a new job.
Fawke Em
(11,366 posts)During a recent Fox and Friends segment surrounding the Islamic cultural center/mosque that is proposed for Lower Manhattan, guest analyst Dan Senor pointed out that Imam Rauf had previously received funds from a Saudi organization that is alleged to also fund radical madrassas all over the world and is headed up by Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal. Jon Stewart used that clip to then reveal that bin Talal just so happens to also be a large News Corp. business partner, or in his words, The terror funder is Rupert Murdochs News Corps funder!
http://www.mediaite.com/online/jon-stewart-follows-the-money-claims-that-watching-fox-news-funds-terror-mosque/
octoberlib
(14,971 posts)CobaltBlue
(1,122 posts)Al Jazeera had some actual news reporting not seen on Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC.
Peregrine Took
(7,413 posts)If they don't keep Cenk I'm outta there, too.
ProudToBeBlueInRhody
(16,399 posts)Sucks.
Sarah Ibarruri
(21,043 posts)Fox or Al Jazeera. So much shit over the air.
physioex
(6,890 posts)They have some wonderful documentaries on their youtube channel. Their news shows are also pretty decent.
Disclaimer: My cable TV provider does not provide Al-Jazeera.
Sarah Ibarruri
(21,043 posts)physioex
(6,890 posts)This sounds a lot like the Christian Talibornagain who think their mighty god would be threatened if we teach evolution or sex education.
Sarah Ibarruri
(21,043 posts)physioex
(6,890 posts)Sarah Ibarruri
(21,043 posts)I don't give a sh*t if they have a couple of great programs. I'm sure Ted Bundy had his good side too. Not interested.
physioex
(6,890 posts)Al-Jazeera reports on many things the western media does not cover. They are not a podium for Jihadists but a catalyst for change in the middle east. Before you accuse Al-Jazeera for being a podium for Jihadists, you should consider that the western media was (and is) a podium for Neocons and the corporate interests.