Will EchoStar Carry Al-Jazeera HD?

[Poke]

http://www.tvpredictions.com/echoarab110206.htm

The news network says one satellite provider has agreed to carry the new channel.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (November 2, 2006) -- Al-Jazeera, the controversial Arabic news network, will launch an English-speaking High-Definition TV channel on November 15.

The company will also unveil a non-HD version of the channel on that day. An Al-Jazeera spokeswoman tells The Associated Press that at least one cable company and one satellite TV operator have agreed to carry the new channel.

She did not specify whether the two TV providers would carry both the HD and non-HD versions, nor did she name the providers. The spokeswoman said the names would be revealed closer to the November 15 launch date.

However, EchoStar's Dish Network, the nation's second leading satcaster, now offers the Arabic-speaking Al-Jazeera. (DIRECTV does not.) In addition, EchoStar now has 30 national high-def channels, more than any other TV provider.

Asked yesterday if Dish would carry the English-speaking Al-Jazeera, an EchoStar spokeswoman said: "We don't have an announcement planned at this time."


Al-Jazeera has aired interviews with Osama Bin-Laden.

Comcast yesterday denied that it would add Al-Jazeera to its lineup.

If a major U.S. TV operator decides to carry the English-speaking Al-Jazeera, it's guaranteed to generate some controversy.

Al-Jazeera, which is broadcast through the Arab world, has been often criticized by U.S. leaders for allegedly siding with the terrorists. The network has broadcast numerous exclusive interviews with Al-Qaeda leaders, including Osama Bin Laden.

However, Al-Jazeera officials say they are simply reporting both sides of the conflict. Yesterday, they told the AP that they hope that U.S. officials will see the English-speaking network as a conduit to the Arab world.

“We have an edge over the other networks: We’re already based in the Middle East. And we have a different perspective,” director Wadah Khanfar said.

The English-speaking Al-Jazeera will be a 24-hour network available to at least 40 million households worldwide.

 

[cforrest]

I read about this at MSNBC yesterday, they claim to have a satellite operator and cable operator signed up with carriage agreements. With the HD, I see E* being the satellite operator, but the cable operator I am unsure of. Cablevision just took 2 analogs off and made them digital only & no new channel was added. Wouldn't surprise me if they carry this channel, since they do carry BBC World. Just going to have to wait until Nov 15th @ 12pm, since Al-Jazeera is tight lipped.

 

[T2k]

Why not? I don't see any reason why should any operator or carrier reject it, let alone the fact that from a business prospective they have to carry it - think about millions of Middle Eastern descents and immigrants in this country.
Echostar would be stupid not to carry it, not to insert it into its CNN-MSNBC-FauxNews lineup.
I wish they would carry more foreign news channel...

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Hmmm November 15th is an uplink day.

However is it compelling television? And just exactly how many people have been calling in and requesting Al Jeezera HD?

I can say that if they do add it then there better be more HD additions that day besides this channel or there is going to be a wave of negative comments twards Dish.

 

[db2]

If they add this channel before the RSN's or INHD...

 

[navychop]

Maybe they'll carry it with a bitrate of 4 Mbps!

 

[tjwgrr]

Hmmm November 15th is an uplink day.

However is it compelling television? And just exactly how many people have been calling in and requesting Al Jeezera HD?

I can say that if they do add it then there better be more HD additions that day besides this channel or there is going to be a wave of negative comments twards Dish.

IMO HD Al Jeezera = total waste of bandwidth. I'd rather watch re-runs of Ted Kennedy blabbing in Senate sessions on C-SPAN than watch Al Jeezera, let alone HD Al Jeezera. :yikes

 

[Madtown HD Junkie]

You have got to be freaking kidding me? Al Jeezera ?? AL, FREAKING, JEEZEERA?
What would anyone in their right mind add a total propaganda network which supports the terrorists?

 

[Madtown HD Junkie]

Hmmm November 15th is an uplink day.

However is it compelling television? And just exactly how many people have been calling in and requesting Al Jeezera HD?

I can say that if they do add it then there better be more HD additions that day besides this channel or there is going to be a wave of negative comments twards Dish.

I would guess whenever they add this channel their will be a huge wave of negative comments since they aid the people who kill Americans and spread their propaganda.
I would consider dropping E* personally, which leaves me with cable )o:

 

[Max Wright]

It would be interesting to actually be able to check out Al-Jazeera rather than taking the goverment and other organizations word that they are biased. At least then we'd be able to make our own decision based on primary evidence.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I have no problem at all with Al Jeezra being on Dish Network, but I do think that a HD version is a little overboard, as when I have seen the regular channel on FTA Satellite there was nothing there worth seeing in SD much the less HD.

Now when I say that let me Clarify, that by "nothing worth seeing" I mean the sets were nothing special for the newscasts, nor was there any kind of artsy stuff shown which would look better in HD, although I must admit Al Jezeeras graphics are top notch. I just think that the HD verison would not look much better then the SD version.

But who knows this channel could be like Discovery HD and show HD programming which is much different then its lineup on its SD channel.

 

[Pepper]

Bring us BBC World, Euronews, and any other english-language channels out there while they are at it.

I could care less about seeing terrorist videos and beheadings in HD though.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Euronews is uplinked on Channel 900 and 901, hopefully we see it soon.

I have been watching BBC World on FTA and its not as good as I thought it was going to be.

 

[Airblair]

Al-Jazeera in HD might be interesting, if not totally depressing.

Frankly, the only foreign news I'd want to see in HD would be any newscast anchored by Melissa Theuriau.

Google her for images (some are NSFW, from her trip to a topless beach this summer) . . . oh, my God.

 

[Pepper]

I was watching BBC World last night. (I agree, not very compelling but at least it's something different) Their website says they have contracted with Discovery for US distribution. I notice there are 2.5 minute breaks in the programs that will no doubt be filled with advertisements if we ever see it on E* or D*.

 

[Petrovich]

Bring us BBC World, Euronews, and any other english-language channels out there while they are at it.

I could care less about seeing terrorist videos and beheadings in HD though.

... and regular Al-Qaeda announcements and Bin Laden's calls on killing people

 

[jerryez]

If Dish wastes bandwidth with this trash in my HD package. I will cancel Dish. There are much more compelling content HD channels.

 

[salsadancer7]

It would be interesting to actually be able to check out Al-Jazeera rather than taking the goverment and other organizations word that they are biased. At least then we'd be able to make our own decision based on primary evidence.

I agree.

 

[bgsmallwood]

I would like to see the SD version on E* just so I could watch it during important events to see how their coverage differs from the canned coverage of our domestic news services.

HD would be overkill as I am sure almost none of their field coverage would be in HD. The only compelling reason for the HD version might be to light a fire under the seat of other news services like CNN, Fox, MSNBC, etc.... to get with the program and start shooting everything in HD.

 

[T2k]

You have got to be freaking kidding me? Al Jeezera ?? AL, FREAKING, JEEZEERA?
What would anyone in their right mind add a total propaganda network which supports the terrorists?

Most likely the same thing when they added FauxNews: freedom of choice, freedom of information.