Al Jazeera America folds morning programming

John Nolte of Breitbart aptly summarizes the changes announced by Al Jazeera America: “The collapse begins.”

Instead of producing its own programming, the basement-rated cable news network will simply re-broadcast Al Jazeera programs from its parent studio in Qatar. Also canceled is the late morning program, “Consider This With Antonio Mora.”

Mediabistro reports that behind-the-scenes staffers will be reassigned and “the fate of on-air talent is unclear.” Variety, however, reports that primetime anchors Ali Velshi and Joie Chen will have less airtime and mid-to-late afternoon programming is also on the chopping block.

Is it a coincidence that oil prices have halved, cutting the income of the emir of Qatar by a similar percentage? The Saudis have recently announced that they don’t expect hundred-dollar-a-barrel prices to return, a forecast that sent as many shivers to Qatar as to North Dakota.

Al Jazeera America’s ratings are anemic, drawing about as many viewers as a decent talk radio station has listeners in a medium-sized market. But they grew late last year on the strength of its coverage of Ferguson and other racial strife.

As Nolte points out, AJA has developed no traction whatsoever in the rest of the American media, who ignore its reporting and have not allowed any of its stories to break out.

You have to feel at least a teeny bit sorry for the talent who heeded the siren song of a supposedly unlimited checkbook and the chance to get in on the ground floor of a new news operation. Jobs in the news biz are hard to get, and there is a lot more wannabe talent than there are slots available – and not just for on-air talent, but also the editors and writers.

August 2014______ ALGORE WANTS TO BE PAID!!!

Al Gore says Al Jazeera America is withholding $65 million from Current Media shareholders after buying the cable channel last year, and he’s gone to court to get it.

“Al Jazeera America wants to give itself a discount on the purchase price that was agreed to nearly two years ago,” said David Boies, a lawyer representing the former Vice President, in an e-mail to CNNMoney. “We are asking the court to order Al Jazeera America to stop wrongfully withholding the escrow funds that belong to Current’s former shareholders.”

Gore, who was the executive chairman of the board of Current Media, and the company’s former CEO Joel Hyatt sold Current Media to Al Jazeera in January 2013. Published reports at the time said the deal was valued at $500 million.

The lawsuit, filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery, accuses Al Jazeera of fraud and breach of contract for allegedly withholding money from Current Media shareholders.

“Our outside counsel is reviewing the complaint,” said Al Jazeera America spokeswoman Dawn Bridges. “We think it relates to a commercial dispute between former shareholders of Current Media and Al Jazeera America.”

I think what going happen Al Jazeera English news going take over that what happen last week when first Paris shooting happen it went all over Al Jazeera English 24 hours

Beside it like Arabic BBC news majority of those reporters are former BBC Sky and ITN world news people

Actually GE is long gone. NBCU is 100% owned by Comcast (which may go under the alias of Xfinity in your area).

Didn't know the deal happened.

Still, I wouldn't say they are long gone, since the deal was only finalized March 19, 2013. In any case, CMCSA is a $139B conglomerate, vs. GE being a $239B conglomerate. So this turd is lost in rounding for both organizations, and is a moot writeoff for either one to further their left wing agenda.

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