Al Jazeera launches its English news channel

New Delhi, Nov 15 (UNI) Arab News channel Al Jazeera, which imparted a West Asian perspective to world news, today launched its English language international news and current affairs channel.

The Arabic channel had put up a challenge to the dominance of the West in news coverage during its reporting of the Iraq war.

Launched in 1996 with Qatar as its base, it had jolted the Arab and Western world by its reporting of the West Asian affairs.

After drawing attention during the Afghan war with exclusive footage of Osama bin Laden, the channel invited fierce criticism for showing footage of dead American soldiers in Iraq and prisoners of war.

Now its English channel, headquartered in West Asia, will be broadcast to 80 million cable and satellite households worldwide.

Besides, it will also be available on broadband IPTV, ADLS, terrestrial and mobile phones, an Al Jazeera release here said.

''The world needs Al Jazeera to bring a new perspective and understanding to world events. I firmly believe there is a gap in the market which we will exploit,'' Managing Director of the News channel Nigel Parsons said on the occasion.

Al Jazeera's broadcast centres are placed in Doha, Kuala lumpur, London and Washington DC.

''Al Jazeera English will balance the information flow from South to North, providing accurate, impartial and objective news for a global audience from a grass root level, giving voice to under reported regions around the world,'' he said.

Al Jazeera English news can also be accessed by one billion users of the internet worldwide.

The channel's India operations will be looked after by Mr Anmol Saxena.

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