What is Al Jazeera?
Al Jazeera is a major global news organization and one of the largest news networks in the Middle East. Originally launched in 1996, Al Jazeera is based in Doha, Qatar and is owned by the Al Jazeera Media Network.
Al Jazeera aims to provide an alternative perspective on world news, often portraying events from an Arab and Middle Eastern point of view. Its reporting and analysis tends to be critical of Western foreign policy in the Middle East. The network broadcasts via multiple platforms including television channels, websites, social media, radio stations, and more.
Al Jazeera broadcasts news in Arabic and English, with plans to expand into Turkish, Swahili, Serbo-Croatian and other languages. It has over 70 bureaus around the world. The Al Jazeera English channel reaches over 260 million households in over 130 countries.
Al Jazeera has been controversial at times, accused by some governments of bias or promoting extremist viewpoints. However, it remains one of the most widely-watched news stations in the Arab world and its willingness to broadcast dissenting voices has contributed to its popularity.