Al Jazeera English Launches on Shaw Cable

International channel continues to expand throughout Canada

TORONTO, June 16 /CNW/ - Al Jazeera English, the award-winning 24-hour global news and current affairs channel, is pleased to announce that the channel began broadcasting on Shaw Cable today. AJE is available to all digital subscribers of Shaw Cable on channel 175 and will be free of charge for a promotional trial-period that will last until August 31.

Tony Burman, the Managing Director of AJE, is the former Editor in Chief of CBC News. Commenting on AJE's launch on Shaw Cable Burman said, "We are pleased to continue our expansion throughout Canada and bring AJE's groundbreaking news and programming to Shaw customers. Since launching in Canada in May, AJE has provided a much-needed alternative perspective to global events. There has been great demand for access to AJE, and our launch on Shaw Cable will allow us to reach an even wider audience in this culturally diverse country."

It was recently announced that Tony Burman will assume the role of Chief Strategic Advisor for the Americas to accelerate expansion into the North American market and enhance the reputation and profile of AJE.

Additionally, AJE has announced the opening of their Canadian bureau. The new bureau, which is based in Toronto, signifies the channel's commitment to presenting Canadian news and perspective to a global audience. This makes AJE the only international news channel with a bureau in Canada.

Canadian-born journalist Imtiaz Tyab has joined AJE as a Correspondent. Tyab was most recently a London-based reporter for BBC World television. Prior to that, he was Washington, DC correspondent for BBC News and World Service Radio. Tyab has reported extensively from around the United Kingdom, as well as from Europe, South Asia and the Middle East. He was previously a reporter for CBC News in Vancouver.

Senior Producer Jet Belgraver has also joined AJE's Canadian bureau. She has been an award-winning news and documentary producer with the CBC, including The National, and has experience in North America, Europe and Latin America.

In November 2009 the CRTC announced that they would include AJE on its digital 'Lists of Eligible Satellite Services'. The announcement from the CRTC followed a formal application process and a 30-day consultation notice period during which Canadians were allowed to submit letters voicing their opinions of AJE. The submission process demonstrated an overwhelming demand for the channel with 98% of the submissions, approximately 2,800 letters and emails, being positive.

Since launching in 2006, AJE has become one of the world leaders in the coverage of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas. With more than 60 news bureaus around the world, the channel's aim is to provide independent and impartial news for a global audience.

AJE has more than 1000 employees worldwide, representing more than 50 nationalities - including many from Canada - making AJE's newsrooms one of the most diverse in the world.

In its short time on air, Al Jazeera English has been recognized for its distinguished reporting and programming. In 2008, 2009 and 2010 AJE received awards from the Monte-Carlo TV Festival, Amnesty International and YouTube. Additionally, AJE has received 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".

With this launch and previous launches in Canada, AJE is now available to more than 200 million households worldwide.

For additional information on how to watch AJE in Canada please visit www.IwantAJE.ca.

About Al Jazeera English

Al Jazeera English is the first English language world news channel to be headquartered in the Middle East. Launched in November 2006, Al Jazeera English seeks to present every side and every angle to its stories and act as a bridge between cultures. With unique access as the channel of reference for Middle East events, and bureaus strategically placed around the world. Al Jazeera English provides independent and impartial news for a global audience, giving voice to different perspectives from under-reported regions around the world.

Al Jazeera English is available in more than 100 countries to more than 200 million households worldwide, and was awarded "Best 24 Hour News Programme" at the 48th Annual Monte Carlo Television Festival and has received awards from the Royal Television Society, Amnesty International and YouTube. The channel also recently received its second International Emmy nominations - one in news for its coverage of the Russia-Georgia War, one in current affairs for AJE's Witness Special - Return to Nablus, one for best documentary for Shooting the Messenger and one for digital programmes for its coverage of the US election.

Al Jazeera started out more than thirteen years ago as the first independent Arabic news channel in the world dedicated to providing comprehensive television news and live debate for the Arab world. Al Jazeera was formally named the Al Jazeera Network in March 2006, transforming its operation into an international media corporation - the Al Jazeera Network now consists of the flagship Al Jazeera Arabic channel, Al Jazeera English, Al Jazeera Documentary, Al Jazeera Sport, Al Jazeera.net (the English and Arabic web sites), the Al Jazeera Media Training and Development Center, the Al Jazeera Center for Studies, Al Jazeera Mubasher (Live), and Al Jazeera Mobile.

Visit www.aljazeera.net/english for more details.

For further information: Molly Conroy - [email protected], Mobile: [phone]