Is U.S. Ready for Al Jazeera America?

Monday, 12 August 2013 | by Pat's Picks

Al Jazeera America is slated to launch later this month, and in anticipation of the channel’s stateside debut, USA Today asks if the country is ready for what it has to offer. The paper says one goal the network has is to “eviscerate” to misconception that Al Jazeera is anti-U.S. in any way. The station has staffed up with 850 new hires and 12 bureaus around the country and has hired talent from rival stations—my former on-air partner at CNNfn Ali Velshi is hosting their flagship business show. Though executives say they don’t expect to beat rivals in the ratings right out of the gate, Al Jazeera is betting that by steering clear of the partisan politics that have become de rigeur on other cable news channels, they can become a major player.

SOURCE: USA Today