Thu Sep 26 12:05:23 UTC 2024: ## Al Jazeera Launches Streaming Platform, Al Jazeera 360, Amidst Censorship and Conflict
Qatar-based news network Al Jazeera has launched a new streaming platform, Al Jazeera 360, billed as a “digital milestone” and a way to bypass censorship and reach audiences directly. The free platform, currently in Arabic only, boasts over a million views and 300,000 app downloads in its first week, according to Jamal Elshayyal, the network’s digital content manager.
Al Jazeera 360 offers access to all of Al Jazeera’s news channels, exclusive content, and over 50,000 hours of archived programs, including documentaries dating back to the network’s inception in 1996.
This launch comes amidst growing tensions surrounding Al Jazeera’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The network’s offices in the West Bank were recently shut down by Israeli troops, following the closure of its operations within Israel in May. Al Jazeera has also faced censorship on platforms like YouTube, where its Arabic channel has been shadow-banned for content related to the Gaza war.
Elshayyal calls the platform “a declaration of independence” for Al Jazeera, allowing them to circumvent censorship and avoid being “held hostage” by third-party platforms. He also claims Al Jazeera 360 is a unique offering, unlike the recently shut down CNN+ platform.
The network plans to launch an English-language version of Al Jazeera 360 by the end of 2025, aiming to reach a global audience. Elshayyal believes the platform could “drive enough interest among people [globally] to watch the news network that came out of the Arab world 28 years ago and managed to establish itself as a global brand.”
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