ITV

Tag: Al Anstey

  • Shutters down on Al-Jazeera America; AJ-English to expand digital ops in US

    Shutters down on Al-Jazeera America; AJ-English to expand digital ops in US

    MUMBAI: After three years of financial struggles, Al Jazeera America (AJAM) will down the shutters on its cable TV and digital operations by 30 April, 2016.

     

    The decision by the AJAM board was driven by the fact that its business model was simply not sustainable in light of the economic challenges in the US media marketplace.

     

    The closure of the US channel will be accompanied by an expansion of its existing worldwide digital services into the US to broaden its multi-platform presence.

     

    The expanded digital platform will augment the Network’s current digital offerings, including AJ+, which has achieved more than two billion online video views since its inception in September 2014.

     

    “As audiences increasingly turn to multiple platforms, including mobile devices, for news and information, this expansion will allow US and non-US consumers alike to access the network’s journalism and content wherever and whenever they want. By expanding its digital content and distribution services to now include the US, the network will be better positioned to innovate and compete in an overwhelmingly digital world to serve today’s 24-hour digitally focused audience,” the Al Jazeera Media Network said in a statement.

     

    Al Jazeera America CEO Al Anstey said, “I have witnessed and worked alongside some of the most talented people any organisation could wish for. Since its launch in 2013, the work done by the team at Al Jazeera America has been recognised with nearly every major award an American news organisation can receive. I greatly respect the unrivalled commitment and excellent work of our team, which has created great journalism. We have increasingly set ourselves apart from all the rest, and the achievements of the past two-and-a-half years should be a source of immense pride for everyone.”

  • Al Jazeera English ups Giles Trendle as acting managing director

    Al Jazeera English ups Giles Trendle as acting managing director

    MUMBAI: Al Jazeera Media Network has assigned the role of acting managing director at Al Jazeera English (AJE) to Giles Trendle.

     

    The role was vacated by Al Anstey’s departure to lead Al Jazeera America. Giles will also continue in his current role as AJE’s director of programmes.

     

    Trendle joined Al Jazeera in 2004 to work on Al Jazeera Arabic’s flagship investigative documentary show Top Secret.

     

    He moved across to Al Jazeera English in 2006 where he commissioned and acquired films for the Witness documentary strand. He also oversaw numerous documentary series and helped develop content-sharing between the network’s channels.

     

    Prior to joining Al Jazeera, Trendle was an independent documentary-maker and journalist specialising in the Middle East. He began his career in journalism in 1985 spending many years in Lebanon as a freelance journalist. He reported for, among others, The Economist and The Sunday Times. He covered the Lebanese civil war, the Western hostage saga, and the guerrilla war in south Lebanon.

     

    He moved into television and over the years made numerous documentaries – including films in Iraq both during and after Saddam Hussein’s fall, as well as a film following former British hostage John McCarthy’s return to Beirut.

     

    Trendle said, “I am honoured to be asked to step up to the role of acting managing director.  I am committed to ensuring Al Jazeera English continues to be a news and current affairs channel that offers great journalism, original story telling, and uncovers human stories that need to be told. We have established ourselves as one of the most reputable and most watched news and current affairs outlets in the world. I’m determined that we do everything necessary to continue to be recognised as the very best at what we do, catering for our audiences no matter if they are using television, mobile, or social platforms.”

     

    Al Jazeera Media Network acting director general Mostefa Souag added, “Giles is an experienced journalist and has a strong track record of managing, directing and producing documentaries. He has multicultural understanding, versatility, and in his many years at Al Jazeera, he has placed emphasis on a relationship-building approach. Al Jazeera English will continue the upward trajectory it has been on in recent years and Giles’s leadership and experience will be essential for the continuing future success of the channel.”

  • Al Jazeera elevates Al Anstey as CEO of Al Jazeera America

    Al Jazeera elevates Al Anstey as CEO of Al Jazeera America

    MUMBAI: Al Jazeera Media Network has appointed Al Anstey as CEO of Al Jazeera America with immediate effect.

    Anstey replaces interim CEO Ehab Alshihabi, who was responsible for launching Al Jazeera America in 2013. He joined Al Jazeera in 2005 and has held a range of leadership positions with the organization, most recently serving as managing director of Al Jazeera English (AJE) since 2010.

    Previously Anstey was director of news for AJE, in charge of the news division and the editorial content. He was a key member of the start-up team of AJE that designed the editorial vision, recruited editorial staff, and set up its worldwide bureau network.

    Under Anstey’s leadership the channel is now accessible to over 250 million households across the globe in over 130 countries.

    Anstey said, “I’m delighted to be leading Al Jazeera America into the next stage of its development. The United States is a remarkable country, with amazing people across the nation who are looking for in-depth, trusted, and inspiring stories. I’m also very proud to be able to lead a fantastic team at Al Jazeera America who are dedicated to the highest quality storytelling. I am committed to engaging the team and uplifting our collective ambitions, as a much needed channel for American audiences.”

     Al Jazeera America Board of Directors chairman Mostefa Souag added, “As Al Jazeera America moves forward into this new stage of its development, I am confident Al’s leadership will transform the channel’s ability to lead in the US marketplace. His demonstrated success leading Al Jazeera English and his passion for the Al Jazeera brand positions him with the unique ability to undertake the strategic changes needed for the success of the channel. I am extremely pleased at Al’s appointment.”

    Anstey has lived and worked in Asia, America, Europe and the Middle East. He started his career as a producer at CBS News, later joining the start-up of Reuters GMTV in the UK, before moving to the start-up of Associated Press Television News, based in New Delhi and Sydney, later taking on the position of Asia Editor for APTN with responsibility for bureaus and coverage across Asia.

    Prior to joining Al Jazeera in 2005 he was the head of foreign news at ITN in the UK after many years as their senior foreign editor and spent two years in Washington DC as bureau chief of ITN’s operations in the US.

  • Al Jazeera condemns censorship, writes letter to Indian govt.

    Al Jazeera condemns censorship, writes letter to Indian govt.

    MUMBAI: Al Jazeera English has demanded talks with the Indian government after the government decided to take the channel off – air for five days.

     

    The ban, which came into effect from 22 April 2015, concerns maps of Pakistan shown on the channel which on occasions during 2013 and 2014 did not mark Pakistan-controlled Kashmir as separate territory. The maps produced by external software gave the same treatment to Indian-controlled Kashmir, though this was not subject to similar complaints.

     

    Once the issue was pointed out by the Indian authorities, the channel ensured from 22 September 2014 that all borders of Kashmir were marked with dotted lines and shaded differently.

     

    Al Jazeera English managing director Al Anstey said: “This ban is a disproportionate response to an issue that we fixed promptly after it was pointed out. It needlessly deprives Indian viewers of our global news and programmes. Unfortunately, this is the latest in a series of ongoing issues. Our journalists have not been granted visas for years now. We approach India like we do any other country – showing the world the positive and the negative, the humanity, and the diversity. This can be easily witnessed in the integrity and quality of the output that we have been allowed from India. We have though been severely hampered for too long by constraints placed upon us when trying to tell Indian stories to the world. This is why I’m writing to the information minister seeking talks that will help us move forward in a constructive way.”

     

    The ban is effective for viewers on Dish TV, Tata Sky, Reliance and Airtel Digital TV. Al Jazeera English is still available online.

  • Indian campaigners at centre of Al Jazeera global brand campaign

    Indian campaigners at centre of Al Jazeera global brand campaign

    MUMBAI: Al Jazeera English has made virtue of putting real people on its billboards and television commercials rather than its own star presenters and correspondents.

     

    The channel’s new brand campaign is its largest marketing push to-date, and the slogan “Hear the Human Story” was unveiled at its global launch in South Africa today. The brand film featured at the special event was about the Gulabi Gang, also known as “vigilantes in pink”, who tackle issues such as violence against women and corruption in northern India.

     

    Al Anstey, managing director of Al Jazeera English, said that the channel covered all the big themes and issues facing the world today, but did so from the perspective of real people: “We believe everyone has a story worth hearing. There are seven billion people to listen to on the planet right now. Al Jazeera exists to cover the people often ignored. People whose voices must be heard – but who are so often neglected by mainstream media.”

    “Our editorial mission is to cover the world without a perspective. What that means is not seeing the globe through a geographical or cultural prism,by not weighting our coverage towards West, the rich nations, or anywhere else. We cover the developing world as much as the developed. So person in Bangui is given as much humanity as a person in Boston or Birmingham.”

     

    Commenting on the choice of Johannesburg as the location for the launch, rather than the traditional financial centres favoured by other channels, AlJazeera executive director for marketing and distribution Abdulla Alnajjar said: “In a world where the truth is everywhere under attack, Al Jazeera puts the human being at the centre of its news agenda, giving a voice to the voiceless.  This campaign is about human stories and we’re proud that theglobal launch for the campaign is here from South Africa, a region rich with history and human stories.”

     

     “There is a common perception that the media are mainly interested in covering those in power, or the rich and famous. Our campaign gives a voice to the many people around the world who feel that they have been leftbehind.

     

    “Our coverage is not about only about portraying difficult situations – its about the triumph of the human spirit and the ability for people in the most difficult of situations to make change. It’s on that foundation that we built this campaign honouring their lives and struggles. This campaign showcases incredible human stories and the humanity that unites us all.”

     

    Some of the others featured in the campaign include: Kiki Katese who started a group of female drummers in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide; and Illac Diaz who brought lighting to slums in the Philippines using plastic bottles.

     

    Al Jazeera English also point out that they aired a film about MalalaYousafzai, the Nobel Peace Prize winning teenager who campaigns for the right of girls to go to school, two years before she hit the headlines when she was shot by the Taliban. “We have extraordinary people like Malalaon our screens every single day. Their stories are inspiring and must also receive attention,” said Anstey.

  • Top TV Presenters Unite to Help Free Detained Al Jazeera Staff

    Top TV Presenters Unite to Help Free Detained Al Jazeera Staff

    MUMBAI: Some of the world’s most prominent presenters from multiple news organisations have highlighted the importance of journalism by asking their viewers to “imagine a world where reality is distorted, imagine being kept in the dark about major world events, and imagine being silenced when speaking out could save your life”. The broadcast of the message comes ahead of the court appearance in Cairo on 24th March of three of the four Al Jazeera journalists who have been detained in Egypt for 85 days.

     

    The rare coming together of news organisations in one film features CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, ITN’s Mark Austin and Julie Etchingham, Channel Seven Australia’s Mark Ferguson, and Al Jazeera English’s Shiulie Ghosh. The 40 second film ends with a collage of photos of journalists around the world muted as part of the Free AJ Staff campaign. The hashtag #FreeAJStaff has now had over 786 million impressions since it was launched during a day of action in Nairobi on 4th February.

     

    Al Anstey, Managing Director of Al Jazeera English said: “we are very grateful to our colleagues around the world for their support of our staff detained in Egypt. Mohamed, Baher, and Peter are world-class journalists and are in detention for simply doing their job. We have seen massive support for them and for journalism from all corners of the globe, so the message of this film is clear – journalism matters and people have a right to be heard and to be informed.”

     

    The broadcast comes just days after Egyptian President and Chief Justice Adly Mansour sent a letter to the parents of Peter Greste, telling them he will “spare no effort to work towards the speedy resolution of the case”. Al Jazeera English journalists Peter Greste, Baher Mohammed and Mohammed Fahmy have been detained by the Egyptian authorities since December 29th 2013. Al Jazeera Arabic’s Abdullah Elshamy has been detained since August 14th 2013.

     

     

    The film is available for all media organisations and supporters to broadcast and upload online in support of media freedom worldwide. 

  • Al Jazeera, France 24 get I&B nod to beam in India

    Al Jazeera, France 24 get I&B nod to beam in India

     MUMBAI: Al Jazeera and France 24 have finally got approval to beam their English language channels in India.

    The Information and Broadcasting Ministry granted the downlink licence last week, paving the way for the cable and satellite companies in India to add these channels to their lineup.

    For Al Jazeera, it has been a four-year wait. The India feed will allow Indian audiences to view the channel that is known for a slant to news that is different from the western style of presentation.

    “This is an exciting breakthrough that has been in the works for several years, and we are extremely pleased that Al Jazeera English‘s groundbreaking news and programming will soon be available in India,” Al Jazeera English MD Al Anstey said.

    Al Jazeera had applied for government approval way back in 2006.  
         
      “We know there is a great demand for our content. Through our dedicated resources in India, Al Jazeera is already presenting important stories from India to our global audience in more than 100 countries,” said Anstey.

    The company is expecting to reach to over 115 million households in India. “With the prospect of reaching an estimated 115 million households in India, this important market will be significant as we continue to expand our global reach,” India region distribution head Diana Hosker said.

    Al Jazeera English currently has a bureau in New Delhi, headed by Anmol Saxena.

    Saxena said, “With India‘s increasing engagement in world affairs and strong interest in international events, we are certain that Al Jazeera English will have a substantial following throughout the country.”

    Al Jazeera English was launched in 2006 and today has 65 news bureaus around the world. The channel has over 1,000 employees worldwide, representing more than 50 nationalities. The channel is currently available in over 100 countries, reaching more than 220 million households around the world.

    As for France 24, it will broadcast in English in India. Primarily broadcast in Europe from December 2006, France 24 is broadcast across the world round-the-clock with the same content in French, English and Arabic.