Al Jazeera English, the 24-hour English-language news and current affairs TV channel, claims to have achieved a global viewer footprint of 100m homes within a year of its launch. It has managed to accomplish this landmark without having secured entry into the United States.
But, despite continuing hostility to the channel in the US, it is determined to break into the lucrative American market. To that end it has appointed an industry veteran, Phil Lawrie, to spearhead the effort as its director of global distribution. When negotiating he will doubtless point to the fact that 60% of the hits on Al Jazeera English's website come from the US.(Via Variety)
