I’ve watched AJE for a few years now too and I find it’s no different than say CNN International or BBC World Service or RT America or France 24 or NHK World Service.
It may be far better at reporting international news stories, but that’s because they have more international bureaus than the US networks do. The only network in this country that comes close to competing with Al-Jazeera on the international front is CNN.
Al-Jazeera America’s stated goal seems to be to report the news going on in this country that is largely being ignored.
You want car chases, watch Fox News. You want breaking news, go to CNN. You want left-winged politics, watch MSNBC. Al-Jazeera’s success will hinder on whether they can fill a void not being filled by the other networks.
From what I am reading Al Jazeera is firmly on the far left politically.