Al Jazeera Türk

Al Jazeera Türk
Launched January 21, 2014 (Online)
End of 2014 (Broadcast)
Network Al Jazeera
Owned by Al Jazeera Media Network
Slogan "Çevresindeki bölge Son Dakika Haber ve Analizer"
Country Turkey
Language Turkish
Broadcast area Turkey, Balkans, Central Asia
Headquarters Topkapı, İstanbul
Replaced Cine5
Sister channel(s) Al Jazeera Arabic
Al Jazeera English
Al Jazeera Balkans
Al Jazeera America
Website Al Jazeera Turk

Al Jazeera Turk (AJT) is a television news channel which will be broadcast in Turkish that is currently under preparation.

The channel will be based in Istanbul. As of January 2014, the channel is still under construction, with a website already being launched. The Managing Director of the channel is İsmail Kızılbay. The News Director is Gürkan Zengin. This channel will join Al Jazeera's four other news channels, Al Jazeera in Arabic, Al Jazeera English, Al Jazeera Balkans and Al Jazeera America. The channel currently delivers news through its website and plans to be on the air by the end of 2014.

Early background and first launch attempt

In February 2011, the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund of Turkey put Cine5 up for sale[1] after the channel was confiscated when the owner Erol Aksoy went in debt and became bankrupt.[2] Al Jazeera made a bid for the network[3] and acquired it for $40.5 million after an unsuccessful $21 million bid.[4] Al Jazeera then renamed the channel and is currently working on launching Al Jazeera Turkish.[5]

On April 2012, there were reports of the channel being delayed over its refusal to call the Kurdistan Workers Party as "terrorists" as most Turkish news outlets do, citing journalistic standards. The Foreign Ministry, who advocated the project, became at odds with the channel. Vural Ak, a major Turkish investor, withdrew from the partnership with Al Jazeera. Nuh Yilmaz, head of Al Jazeera's Turkish editorial team, also resigned.[6]

Digital online launch

Plans and efforts to launch the channel restarted in 2013 shortly after the launch of Al Jazeera America. On January 21, 2014, Al Jazeera Turk`s website launched with news content. The move made Al Jazeera Turk the first 24-hour news operation to go digital before broadcast.[7]

Like how the Al Jazeera English and Al Jazeera Balkans websites are designed similarly the Al Jazeera Turk site is designed similar to the Al Jazeera America site.

Also like its English, Arabic and Balkans counterparts the channel has its own digital Magazine.

Channel launch

The channel is under construction with plans to launch towards the end of 2014. Construction and indoor works are currently underway at the upcoming channel’s building in Topkapı, İstanbul.[8] The channel claims it's news center is built around the channel’s regional vision.

See also

Competitors

References

  1. "Turkey's Deposit Insurance Fund to sell three media organs". World Bulletin. 18 January 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  2. "Al Jazeera to buy Turkey’s Cine 5 TV station for $40.5 mlns". Today's Zaman. 12 February 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  3. "Al-Jazeera bids for Turkish TV station". The Jerusalem Post. 4 February 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  4. "Al Jazeera acquires Turkey's Cine 5". Hurriyet Daily News. 10 February 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  5. Neal Ungerleider (9 February 2011). "Al Jazeera, Stymied in U.S., Launching Turkish-Only Channel". Fast Company. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  6. Cengiz Semercioglu (8 April 2012). "Diplomatic and Linguistic Roadblocks Keep Al Jazeera Turkish From Airing". Worldcrunch. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  7. http://variety.com/2014/digital/news/al-jazeera-expands-global-footprint-with-turkish-digital-operation-1201065912/
  8. http://pr.aljazeera.com/post/74047371010/al-jazeera-launches-new-turkish-channel-al-jazeera

External links