NEW YORK – (August 14, 2013) – Al Jazeera America today announced a full schedule of live news and investigative, documentary and discussion programming that fulfills its promise to provide unbiased in-depth coverage of domestic and international news important to its American viewers.
The initial programming schedule will continue to be updated and enhanced as Al Jazeera America moves into new phases in its development. The launch schedule reflects the extensive program developmentaccomplished since the channel was announced in January 2013. Soon-to-be-added programs will include a number of major documentary series that that are already in production and a weekly sports show.
“We are all extremely excited about the depth and breadth of programming our initial schedule provides to our viewers,” said Ehab Al Shihabi, Al Jazeera America’s interim CEO. “This is the type of journalism we committed to when we announced the creation of Al Jazeera America in January.”
When Al Jazeera America launches, viewers will receive more than 14 hours of daily live news, magazine and discussion programs daily with news updates at the top of every hour 24/7/365. Al Jazeera America’s 12 U.S. bureaus and Al Jazeera Media Network’s additional 70 international bureaus – the largest of any news organization – will provide the channel’s viewers with informed, on-the-ground coverage of breaking events and continuing coverage of ongoing stories. It will also enable Al Jazeera America to report stories that are not typically covered by other news organizations.
President KateO’Brian said that the programming enables Al Jazeera America to provide breaking news and updates on what’s truly important to Americans day and night from the U.S. and around the world. “We will take full advantage of our extraordinary reporting resources to give our viewers the most up-to-date information available no matter when they tune in,” she said.
In addition to the 14 hours of news, Al Jazeera will air news magazine programs, hard-hitting documentaries and investigative reports that go beyond the headlines to explore the day’s stories in more detail. Programs such as America Tonight -- the prime time news and current affairs magazine hosted by Joie Chen, Consider This – the nightly talk show hosted by Antonio Mora, Real Money with Ali Velshi – the nightly business and financial program, and The Stream -- the award-winning program co-hosted by Lisa Fletcher and Wajahat Ali that uses social media to incorporate viewer suggestions about what should be coveredwill all add significant depth to what Al Jazeera America provides its viewers and will make the programming far more relevant to their lives.
Program Descriptions
The extensive daily news coverage features unbiased in-depth reporting from the United States and around the world.
Inside Story (Monday - Friday | 5:00 p.m. ET):
Inside Story provides analysis, background and context on the top stories of the day. More than just the news, each 30-minute episode goes beyond the headlines by analyzing the facts andproviding expert opinions to give viewers a frank assessment of the latest developments. Each episode features a panel of expert guests who examine and debate domestic and international topics ripped from the headlines.
Early Evening News (Monday – Sunday | 6:00 p.m. ET):
The evening news will begin each night at 6:00 p.m. ET with an hour report on the day’s events and continuing reports on ongoing stories.
Real Money with Ali Velshi (Monday - Friday | 7:00 p.m. ET):
Real Money with Ali Velshi focuses on how financial news and the economy affect Americans. The program covers a variety of topics including employment, personal finance, healthcare and education. The 30-minute magazine-style program features a mix of field reports from business correspondents across the U.S., in-studio guests and interactive discussions with viewers.
The Stream (Monday – Saturday | 7:30 p.m. ET):
Hosted by journalists Lisa Fletcher and Wajahat Ali, The Stream is uniquely formatted to allow viewers to interact with the hosts and guests during the program via Twitter, Facebook, Google+ Hangouts and Skype. The show relies heavily on online resources and social media tools to connect with people across the country and around the world. The show’s social media team enables viewers to engage 24-hours-a-day with new content, comments, user-generated videos and a variety of posts.
Nightly News (Monday – Sunday | 8:00 p.m. ET):
Hosted by veteran news anchor John Seigenthaler, this one-hour of news in prime time reports the day’s events and provides updates on ongoing stories.
America Tonight (Monday - Saturday | 9:00 p.m. ET):
Al Jazeera America’s flagship show America Tonight is an hour-long news and current affairs magazine hosted by Joie Chen. Segments feature in-depth reports on subjects such as the economy, government, education, healthcare, and theenvironment, as well as breaking news. Correspondents from across the U.S. will provide original reports that probe pressing news issues through character-driven stories, groundbreaking investigative pieces and interviews with prominent newsmakers.
Consider This (Monday – Friday | 10:00 p.m. ET):
Hosted by Antonio Mora, Consider This is a weeknight current affairs talk show on issues important to American viewers. Each show will feature interviews with prominent newsmakers, panel discussions that provide insight through varied perspectives and involvement of the show’s audience using social media.
Late Night News: (Monday – Sunday | 11:00 p.m. ET)
A second hour of news airs from 11:00 pm to midnight on the East Coast and 8:00 to 9:00 pm on the West Coast. It closes Al Jazeera America’s prime time schedule in the eastern part of the United States and opens it in the west.
Fault Lines (Sunday | 7:00 p.m. ET):
Fault Lines goes beyond the headlines to investigate the impact of politics and policies on communities in the U.S. and abroad with dynamic, factual reporting. Examining stories that are often off the radar of mainstream news, Fault Lines puts a face to those who have fallen through the cracks, shines alight on their previously unheard voices and gives them a chance to tell their incredible stories. The half-hour documentary series examines such topics as gang violence in California, abuse of the elderly and the state of the U.S. housing market.
TechKnow (Sunday | 7:30 p.m. ET)
TechKnow is a fast-paced, 30-minute show that explores how the latest scientific discoveries are changing our lives. TechKnow exposes the controversies and celebrates the accomplishments of human scientific and technological achievements from the U.S. and around the world. Segments are recorded in the field by a group of young, tech-savvy contributors with diverse backgrounds in science and technology. TechKnow’s on-air talent provides viewers with 24/7 access as the conversation continues online between airings using Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Instagram.
Talent Bios
(In Alphabetical Order)
WAJAHAT ALI
Host, The Stream
Wajahat Ali, co-host of The Stream, is an acclaimed writer, attorney, commentator and playwright. He is the lead author of the investigative report “Fear Inc.: The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America,” which was produced by the Center for American Progress. He is also the co-editor of the acclaimed anthology “All American: 45 Men on Being Muslim.” His award-winning play, “The Domestic Crusaders,” was one of the first major plays about the American-Muslim experience. Secretary ofState Hilary Clinton honored Ali in 2012 as a Generation Change Leader.
JOIE CHEN
Host, America Tonight
Joie Chen, host of America Tonight, worked at both CNN International and at CNN’s domestic operation where she received an Emmy Award for her work as an anchor covering the bombing at Centennial Olympic Park during the 1996 Atlanta Games. She won a CableACE best newscaster award as co-anchor of CNN’s The World Today. She also created and anchored the network’s first effort to integrate its online audience with its on-air news program, CNN News Site with Joie Chen. After CNN, Chen spent six years as a correspondent and anchor at CBS News in Washington, D.C., where she covered the White House and Capitol Hill, nationwide news events and three presidentialsummit meetings. In addition, she reported for the network's legendary broadcast, CBS Sunday Morning. Chen won an Emmy Award for her coverage of the three-week sniper siege in the Washington, D.C. area.
LISA FLETCHER
Host, The Stream
Lisa Fletcher, co-host of The Stream, is an investigative reporter and news anchor who has covered stories around the world at ABC News and various major-market television stations including WJLA in Washington, D.C. During her time withABC, Fletcher was consistently featured on Good Morning America, ABC World News and Nightline. Her career highlights include in-depth coverage of Sarah Palin’s record and public standing during the 2008 presidential election campaign, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford’s political scandal, the Craigslist Killer in Boston, the OJ Simpson trial and sentencing, and the investigation of Michael Jackson’s death. She has won a George Foster Peabody Award, multiple Edward R. Murrow Awards, the Nancy Dickerson Whitehead Medallion and numerous Emmy Awards for investigative journalism.
ANTONIO MORA
Host, Consider This
Antonio Mora, host of Consider This, first received national recognition as a news anchor, senior correspondent and regular substitute host for ABC’s Good Morning America. Over his eight years at ABC, Mora served in many roles in addition to Good Morning America including correspondent for World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, regular substitute anchor for the weekend edition of World News Tonight, backup anchor for Peter Jennings in the weeks following September 11, and reporter for Nightline and 20/20. After ABC News, Mora spent six years at Chicago’s CBS affiliate WBBM where he became the first Hispanic lead anchor at a network-owned station in Chicago. He also was the original host of Eye on Chicago, CBS2’s Emmy Award- winning public affairs program. Mora then moved to Miami to be an anchor atCBS4 News. Mora has received many honors throughout his career including 2 George Foster Peabody Awards, a National Edward R. Murrow Award, 3 NationalEmmy Awards, 9 Local Emmy Awards and a Silver Dome. Hispanic Business Magazine also named him one of the country’s “100 Most Influential Hispanics” in 1999.
JOHN SEIGENTHALER
Anchor, America Tonight
John Seigenthaler is Al Jazeera America’s prime time news anchor. Seigenthaler spent 11 years at NBC News, including nine as the anchor of the top-rated NBC Nightly News Weekend Edition. He also appeared on Today, Dateline and Meet The Press. Seigenthaler also anchored news programs on CNBC and MSNBC including The News on CNBC, Morning Line, Lockup and MSNBC Investigates. He reported from the scenes of major stories worldwide including the London terror attacks, the tsunami in Sri Lanka, the bombings in Taba, Hurricane Katrina and September 11. Seigenthaler began his 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 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, 2 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.
ALI VELSHI
Host, Real Money With Ali Velshi
Ali Velshi, host of Real Money with Ali Velshi, joined Al Jazeera America from CNN where he was the channel’s chief business correspondent, anchor of CNN International’s World Business Today and the host of CNN’s weekly business roundtable Your Monday. In 2010, Velshi was honored with a National Headliner Award for Business & Consumer Reporting for “How The Wheels Came Off.” CNN was also nominated for a 2010 Emmy for Velshi’s breaking news coverage of an attempted terror attack on a flight to Detroit. Velshi has reported extensively on the global financial meltdown; the financial collapses of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG and Lehman Brothers; the U.S. government’s bailout plan; the battle over the fate of the American big three automakers; and the U.S. debt ceiling and budget debate.
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