Al Jazeera English, the award-winning 24-hour global news and current affairs channel, will begin broadcasting free to air on Freeview on 1st July, airing the channel to more than 80% of homes in the United Kingdom.
Al Jazeera will air live from 6 to 11pm local time every day on channel 89. The output will be live news and programmes from AJEs studios in London, Washington DC, and Doha.
AJEs current affairs programming includes Frost Over the World, a weekly interview show hosted by Sir David Frost; Witness, a programme that focuses on the human stories at the centre of international events; The Rageh Omaar Report which focuses on in-depth coverage of stories neglected by Western media; People and Power, an investigative programme which looks at the abuse of power across the world; and Listening Post, an interactive show which provides insight and discussion on the global news divide.
Al Jazeera English currently reaches more than 200 million homes worldwide. The addition of Freeview is a significant step forward for AJE.
Commenting on the launch, Wadah Khanfar, Director General of the Al Jazeera Network said: We are extremely pleased that Al Jazeera Englishs groundbreaking news and current affairs programming will be available to more than 80% of UK homes. Providing content to the widest possible audience, free of charge, is part of Al Jazeeras ongoing mandate and mission. With a large network of bureaus, and with unique access to under reported regions across the world, Al Jazeera English will bring a much needed international perspective to this important and diverse region.
Ilse Howling, Managing Director, Freeview commented: “The addition of Al Jazeera English brings a new global perspective to our existing news channel line up, bringing Freeview viewers even more subscription-free news content.”
Al Anstey, Director Media Development for the Al Jazeera Network added: The UK remains an extremely important market for Al Jazeera. Freeview provides us with the platform to show our award-winning news and programming across the country. We know there is an audience for Al Jazeera English in the United Kingdom and we look forward to expanding our service throughout the country.
Al Jazeera English is recognized for its distinguished reporting and programming. AJE has won the RTS (Royal Television Society) Young Reporter of the Year Award, and has received awards from the Monte-Carlo TV Festival, Amnesty International and YouTube. Additionally, AJE has received several nominations for international Emmy awards in both the News and Current Affairs categories and the Royal Television Society awards as the 2009 News Channel of the Year.
In addition to being available on Freeview channel 89, Al Jazeera English is available in the United Kingdom on Sky Guide channel 514 and Freesat channel 203.