New York - (August 8, 2013) - Al Jazeera America, the new American news channel that will launch on Aug. 20, today announced that former NBC news anchor John Seigenthaler will join the channel as prime time news anchor.
Seigenthaler will anchor the primetime news program that will be broadcast from Al Jazeera America’s studio in New York City.
“With more than 30 years in journalism, John is a veteran reporter who has covered international, national, and local stories that have affected us all,” said David Doss, Al Jazeera America’s senior vice president for news programming. “His extensive experience in journalism will be an extraordinarily valuable addition to the Al Jazeera America team and I’m truly looking forward to seeing him behind the anchor’s desk each night.”
Seigenthaler is best known for his more than 11 years at NBC News including 9 years as the anchor of the top-rated NBC Nightly News weekend edition. He also appeared on Today, Dateline-NBC, Meet The Press and anchored news programs on CNBC and MSNBC including The News on CNBC, Morning Line, Lockup andMSNBC Investigates. Seigenthaler has reported from the scene of major stories around the world including the London terror attacks in 2005; the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka; the bombings in Taba, Egypt in 2004; Hurricane Katrina in 2005; and 9/11 in New York.
“I’m proud to join a respected worldwide news organization that is committed to delivering high quality, objective and balanced investigative journalism,” Seigenthaler said. “While other networks and newspapers are cutting back, Aljazeera is growing. It’s exciting to be part of the launch of this unique cable news channel.”
Seigenthaler began his journalism career in local TV news at WNGE-TV (now ABC affiliate WKRN-TV). He also worked as a reporter and anchor at WSMV-TV in Nashville, TN and KOMO-TV in Seattle. Since 2008, he has been the CEO of Seigenthaler Public Relations-NY.
Seigenthaler has received numerous awards for his work in journalism including the Robert F. Kennedy Television News Award, two Emmy Awards, a National Headliner Award, an American Bar Association Award, an Iris Award and the TV News Award from the President’s Committee on the Disabled.
Seigenthaler is a former board member of the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation, and a current member of the Duke University Alumni Magazine advisory board, the board of visitors at the Middle Tennessee State University College of Mass Communications and the board of the Silvermine Art Center in New Canaan, CT.
See more press releases from Al Jazeera America here.
