Text of press release by Doha-based satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera English on 16 April Al-Jazeera English today [16 April] announced plans to begin making clips from its news and programmes available to the YouTube community by launching a branded channel (www.youtube.com/aljazeeraenglish) on the popular video-sharing site. YouTube is the leader in online video, and the premier destination to watch and share original videos worldwide through a Web experience.
YouTube users worldwide will have the ability to comment on Al-Jazeera English clips, rate them, recommend them to friends and post their own video responses to communicate with other viewers. The new branded channel will also include links to Al-Jazeera English’s official website (www.aljazeera.net/english).
Content from the new global broadcaster will include segments from top shows such as Frost over the World, Everywoman, Inside Iraq, Inside Story, Listening Post, Riz Khan, One-on-One, The Fabulous Picture Show, Witness and 48. Al-Jazeera English is also planning to release some exclusive web-only programming, starting with Political Bytes, a global conversation hosted by UN correspondent Mark Seddon which will ask the YouTube community to carry on the conversation and add video contributions. Over time, Al-Jazeera English will continue to provide new content to the site by adding at least 10-15 new clips each week.
Speaking on the announcement, Nigel Parsons, managing director of Al-Jazeera English said: “We believe that YouTube is a perfect platform to reach out to our audience and to give wide and easy access to new viewers around the world. We have significantly built on our distribution since launch and now reach well in access of 90 million cable and satellite households worldwide. With YouTube’s community of millions of online users this is set to dramatically increase.”
Commenting on the launch, Russell Merryman, editor-in-chief, Web and New Media at Al-Jazeera English: “The new Al-Jazeera English branded Channel on YouTube will allow us to approach and interact with our viewers in a new way and will give us a chance to target other potential audiences through this new global platform. It is a perfect way to promote our best content and set the news agenda for Internet users around the world.”
(Source: Al-Jazeera English press release, Doha, in English 16 Apr 07 via BBC Monitoring/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)
YouTube users worldwide will have the ability to comment on Al-Jazeera English clips, rate them, recommend them to friends and post their own video responses to communicate with other viewers. The new branded channel will also include links to Al-Jazeera English’s official website (www.aljazeera.net/english).
Content from the new global broadcaster will include segments from top shows such as Frost over the World, Everywoman, Inside Iraq, Inside Story, Listening Post, Riz Khan, One-on-One, The Fabulous Picture Show, Witness and 48. Al-Jazeera English is also planning to release some exclusive web-only programming, starting with Political Bytes, a global conversation hosted by UN correspondent Mark Seddon which will ask the YouTube community to carry on the conversation and add video contributions. Over time, Al-Jazeera English will continue to provide new content to the site by adding at least 10-15 new clips each week.
Speaking on the announcement, Nigel Parsons, managing director of Al-Jazeera English said: “We believe that YouTube is a perfect platform to reach out to our audience and to give wide and easy access to new viewers around the world. We have significantly built on our distribution since launch and now reach well in access of 90 million cable and satellite households worldwide. With YouTube’s community of millions of online users this is set to dramatically increase.”
Commenting on the launch, Russell Merryman, editor-in-chief, Web and New Media at Al-Jazeera English: “The new Al-Jazeera English branded Channel on YouTube will allow us to approach and interact with our viewers in a new way and will give us a chance to target other potential audiences through this new global platform. It is a perfect way to promote our best content and set the news agenda for Internet users around the world.”
(Source: Al-Jazeera English press release, Doha, in English 16 Apr 07 via BBC Monitoring/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)