Colorlines, News Report, Posted: Aug 03, 2011

 
Al Jazeera English made its United States television debut this week, continuing the network’s transformation in the eyes of the American public and government from dangerous machine to respectable news outlet. The English-language branch of the Arabic news organization has proven itself to be a major voice in world news, and with its American premiere comes the opportunity for increased diversity in the U.S. cable news landscape.

The cable network launched at 12:00 a.m. on Monday in New York City. The managing director of Al Jazeera English has said the New York market provides more traffic to the AJE website than any other city in the world, making it a natural place for AJE to begin its operations in the U.S. Whether it will spread to households across the country is yet to be seen, but the simple possibility has media activists and academics hopeful for broader representation in American news.

“We actively encourage and support more voices in the media and more diverse voices in the media,” said Dave Saldana, communications director of Free Press. “Al Jazeera certainly fits both of those bills.”

When Al Jazeera English was formed in 2006, an American television channel might have seemed impossible. Made famous in the United States for airing Osama bin Laden’s video-recorded statements in the days, months and years following the September 11 attacks, the network was vilified by the American government. Al Jazeera was treated as an anti-American propaganda wing for Islamic extremists, and was slandered, monitored, and even bombed by the U.S. Read more here.