TORONTO – Middle East-based news and current affairs channel Al Jazeera English (AJE) is asking the CRTC to add it to the list of eligible satellite services in Canada.
The channel, which is already seen in more than 100 countries and 130 million households worldwide, said it is committed to opening a Canadian news bureau if it is authorized for distribution here.
Ethnic Channels Group (ECG) will present the application to the CRTC, acting in their capacity as "the channel’s sponsor", the press release said. ECG is a Canadian multi-ethnic broadcaster which currently offers 12 television channels in Canada.
AJE says it has already received “informal indications” from Canada’s major BDUs that that it will distribute the channel once CRTC approval has been granted, and hopes to launch in Canadian homes by this autumn.
Al Jazeera’s Arabic channel is currently on the CRTC’s eligible satellite list, but comes with the proviso that Distributors must monitor it 24/7 to bleep out offensive content, making it effectively unavailable.
AJE is a separate channel from Al Jazeera Arabic and offers “a different perspective”, according to the ‘Hits and Myth’s’ section of its website. “However”, the information continues, “we are proud to build on the Arabic channel’s heritage of fearless reporting.”
To garner support for the channel, AJE has launched the website IWantAJE.ca. In addition to providing programming information, it allows individuals to send electronic letters to their TV service providers requesting that the channel is carried.
"It is clear to us there is a significant demand for AJE in Canada," said Tony Burman, managing director of AJE, in the release. “Canadians want to understand the world in all of its diversity and cultural richness. Our website receives 22 million visits every month with over 50% coming from North America, and our branded YouTube page is by far the most popular news site on YouTube. These numbers alone show how hungry Canadians are for the fearless, groundbreaking reporting that runs daily on AJE. This is a demonstration of the country’s commitment to freedom of expression."
