2006 – Al Jazeera English launches worldwide
Al Jazeera English (AJE), a Qatari state-owned news channel owned by the Al Jazeera Media Network, headquartered in Doha, Qatar, is the first English-language news channel to be headquartered in the Middle East. Instead of being run centrally, news management rotates between broadcasting centre in Doha and London. The channel, launched at 12:00 GMT November 15, 2006, anticipated to reach around 40 million households, but it far exceeded that launch target, reaching 80 million homes. By 2009, the service could be viewed in every major European market and was available to 130 million homes in over 100 countries via cable and satellite, according. The channel, however, has poor penetration in the American market, where it has been carried by only one satellite service and a small number of cable networks.