Al-Jazeera takes ventures into Pakistan, India
English-language service will bow in spring
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Qatar-based satcaster is launching an Urdu-language service aimed at the lucrative TV market in Pakistan and India.
Its English-language service will bow in spring, and it's mulling Spanish, French and Turkish services as it bids to become a genuine international rival to CNN and the BBC.
The news was announced Tuesday at Al-Jazeera's second Forum on Democracy & Freedom.
"We have brokered an agreement with the biggest cable company in Asia to offer this new service meant to attract 150 million viewers, most of them in Asia," said marketing manager Hamad Al Nuaimi.
Al-Jazeera Intl., the dedicated English-language service, will finally launch in late spring. The channel has recruited 250 journalists from 30 countries, including David Frost and former U.S. Marine Josh Rushing. Latter was a Pentagon spokesman during the invasion of Iraq who rose to prominence after getting hefty screen time in "Control Room," the documentary on Al-Jazeera.
Al-Jazeera managing director Wadah Khanfar also said the network had signed an agreement with Latin American news channel Telesur. Deal will include cooperation in journalist training and the exchange of footage and logistics.
