Al Jazeera America
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA defunct United States pay television news channel operated by the Al Jazeera Media Network from 2013 to 2016.
Last updated August 31, 2026
Overview
Al Jazeera America was a United States pay television news channel owned and operated by the Al Jazeera Media Network. It launched on August 20, 2013, after Al Jazeera acquired Current TV, a struggling channel founded by former Newsworld International and later repositioned as a user-generated and progressive-oriented service. The acquisition gave Al Jazeera an American distribution platform, production infrastructure, and a group of employees who could be integrated into a new domestic news operation. The channel was intended to compete with CNN, HLN, MSNBC, Fox News, and, in some markets, RT America. Unlike a conventional international news service, it emphasized reporting from the United States while drawing on Al Jazeera's global bureau network for major international stories. Its New York headquarters were located in the Manhattan Center, and it maintained or used bureaus and production facilities in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Detroit, Nashville, Los Angeles, Seattle, New Orleans, Dallas, Denver, Miami, and San Francisco. It operated separately from Al Jazeera English, although the two services shared selected facilities, correspondents, live coverage, and programs. Al Jazeera America promoted an editorial model centered on hard news, investigative reporting, documentaries, and longer-form journalism. It sought to limit advertising and reduce the emphasis on celebrity coverage and highly theatrical political debate. Programs included the nightly news magazine America Tonight, business coverage hosted by Ali Velshi, the interactive program The Stream, interview and discussion formats such as Consider This and Third Rail, and documentary projects including Borderland and The System. The channel also established a substantial investigative unit and recruited experienced journalists from ABC News, CBS News, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, Current TV, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and other organizations. Despite considerable investment, Al Jazeera America struggled to gain distribution and audience recognition in the competitive American cable-news market. Typical daily viewership was reported in the tens of thousands, far below the established national news networks. Its association with the international Al Jazeera brand also created political and distribution challenges in the United States, where the network had faced criticism from American officials and controversy over its coverage of militant groups during the post-9/11 period. In January 2016, the Al Jazeera Media Network announced that it would close both the television channel and its online operations, citing changing economic conditions and the need to redirect resources. The website ceased operations in February, and the television service ended on April 12, 2016. The final broadcast was a retrospective titled Your Stories. The closure eliminated approximately 700 jobs, while Al Jazeera pursued a greater emphasis on digital American operations such as AJ+.
History
Al Jazeera America emerged from Al Jazeera's effort to establish a substantial domestic news presence in the United States. On January 2, 2013, the Al Jazeera Media Network announced that it would acquire Current TV and convert the channel into a new American news service. Current TV had struggled to build a large audience after earlier changes in format, but it supplied an existing pay-television distribution framework, production facilities, and a pool of employees. Al Jazeera planned to retain some staff and infrastructure while replacing the channel's identity and programming. During the preparation period, the new operation recruited executives and journalists with experience at leading American television-news organizations. Kate O'Brian became president, Ehab Al Shihabi was appointed interim chief executive for business affairs, and David Doss, Marcy McGinnis, and Shannon High-Bassalik took senior programming, news-gathering, and documentary roles. The network reported receiving more than 21,000 applications for roughly 400 initial positions and planned a broader workforce of about 800 people at launch. It also recruited prominent figures including Ali Velshi and Soledad O'Brien, alongside correspondents, producers, and investigative reporters. The service launched on August 20, 2013. Its New York base was at the Manhattan Center, while Washington served as another important editorial and production hub. The network used a broad bureau structure spanning major American cities and shared selected facilities with Al Jazeera English. Although it was managed separately, it carried some Al Jazeera English programs and live newscasts and drew on the international network's global reporting capabilities. Al Jazeera America positioned itself as a serious alternative to established cable news. Executives emphasized domestic reporting, live coverage, investigative journalism, documentaries, and extended interviews rather than celebrity coverage or constant partisan debate. Early plans called for a majority of American-produced programming, with the domestic share later becoming the dominant component. The schedule included America Tonight, a nightly long-form news magazine; Real Money with Ali Velshi, later renamed Ali Velshi on Target; The Stream; Consider This; Third Rail; and documentary productions. The channel also formed a dedicated investigative unit under veteran journalist Edward Pound and developed original documentary projects such as Borderland, which examined the deaths of undocumented migrants crossing the United States–Mexico border, and The System, which focused on the American prison system. The channel's journalism received recognition, including Peabody and Emmy awards and citations from journalism organizations. Nevertheless, its commercial performance remained weak. Reported daily audiences generally ranged from approximately 20,000 to 40,000 viewers, leaving the network far behind CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and other established services. It also encountered difficulties securing broad carriage from major distributors. Commentators attributed the problems to the crowded subscription-television market, limited public familiarity with the domestic service, the cost structure of the operation, and the political baggage associated with the wider Al Jazeera brand. Falling oil prices placed additional pressure on Qatar, which funded the Al Jazeera Media Network. On January 13, 2016, Al Jazeera announced that it would close Al Jazeera America and its online operation. The website stopped operating on February 26, and the television service signed off on April 12 rather than continuing to the initially discussed end-of-April date. The final broadcast was a three-hour retrospective titled Your Stories, aired twice before the shutdown. Antonio Mora and Richelle Carey, who had appeared at launch, were the final on-air anchors. The closure resulted in approximately 700 job losses. Al Jazeera subsequently placed greater emphasis on digital distribution in the United States, including AJ+, while Al Jazeera English's previously restricted online programming became more accessible to U.S. viewers later in 2016.
- 2016
Closure announced and completed
[1]Al Jazeera announced the shutdown in January; the website closed in February and television broadcasting ended on April 12.
- 2014
Borderland premieres
[1]The documentary series became one of the channel's first major original documentary projects and examined migrant deaths along the U.S.–Mexico border.
- 2013
Al Jazeera acquires Current TV
[1]The Al Jazeera Media Network announced its acquisition of Current TV and its plan to use the platform for a new U.S. news channel.
- 2013
Al Jazeera America launches
[1]The channel began broadcasting on August 20, replacing Current TV with a domestic American news service.
Products and positioning
An American hard-news and public-affairs channel emphasizing investigative reporting, documentaries, international context, and stories receiving limited coverage from established cable-news competitors.
Pay television news · 2013
Al Jazeera America television channel
The core product was a U.S.-focused pay television news channel with live bulletins, domestic reporting, international coverage, interviews, business news, documentaries, and investigative journalism. It operated from New York and a network of American bureaus, while also using selected reporting and programs from Al Jazeera English.
Digital news · 2013
Al Jazeera America online operation
The associated website provided news articles, video, program information, and digital extensions of the television service. It closed on February 26, 2016, as part of the broader shutdown.
News magazine · 2013
America Tonight
A flagship weeknight program built around longer-form reporting and original journalism. Its coverage included government, the economy, education, health care, the environment, and breaking national stories.
Documentary series · 2014
Borderland
An original documentary series following six Americans as they retraced the fatal journey of undocumented migrants who died attempting to enter the United States.
Documentary series
The System
A documentary project focused on the U.S. prison system and related questions of incarceration, law enforcement, and criminal justice.
Brand decisions
2016
Close Al Jazeera AmericaStrategyBackground
The service faced persistently low ratings, distribution difficulties, and financial pressure associated with the wider Al Jazeera Media Network and falling oil prices.
Action taken
Al Jazeera announced the closure of both the television channel and its online operation and redirected attention toward digital products including AJ+.
Aftermath
The website closed in February 2016, television operations ended on April 12, and approximately 700 positions were eliminated.
2013
Acquire Current TV and build a U.S. news channelM&ABackground
Al Jazeera sought a stronger American distribution platform and a way to establish a domestic television-news operation.
Action taken
The Al Jazeera Media Network acquired Current TV, retained selected personnel and infrastructure, and replaced the service with Al Jazeera America.
Aftermath
The new channel launched in August 2013 but struggled to secure a large audience or broad carriage.
Recent events
- 2016
Al Jazeera America announces closure[1]
Bankruptcy
The network announced that the television channel and its online operation would close, after persistent audience problems and wider financial pressure on the Al Jazeera Media Network.
- 2016
Al Jazeera America broadcasts its final program[1]
Other
The service ended on April 12 with the retrospective Your Stories, followed by a final sign-off message.
- 2013
Al Jazeera announces acquisition of Current TV and plans for a U.S. news channel[1]
M&A
The Al Jazeera Media Network announced its purchase of Current TV and its intention to replace the service with an American news network.
- 2013
Al Jazeera America launches in the United States[1]
Product launch
The channel began broadcasting on August 20 with a preview program followed by live news coverage.
Sources1 sources
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