Thursday, May 7, 2015

Ehab Al Shihabi OUT At Al Jazeera America

Confronted Monday with questions about a wrongful-termination lawsuit, defections of senior executives and meager ratings, Ehab Al Shihabi, the leader of Al Jazeera America said, “I know what I’m doing.” On Wednesday, the backers of the network said he would be replaced as head of the troubled cable-news outlet.

Variety reports the Qatar-backed network said it would replace Al Shihabi, who has led Al Jazeera America since its 2013 launch, with Al Anstey, a veteran executive who has been serving as managing director of sister outlet Al Jazeera English.

CLICK HERE: Turmoil at Al Jazeera

“I am confident Al’s leadership will transform the channel’s ability to lead in the U.S. marketplace,” said Mostefa Souag, chairman of Al Jazeera America’s board of directors, in a prepared statement. “His demonstrated success leading Al Jazeera English and his passion for the Al Jazeera brand positions him with the unique ability to undertake the strategic changes needed for the success of the channel. I am extremely pleased at Al’s appointment.”

Al Shihabi’s ouster is the latest in a series of twists that threaten to derail what was supposed to be the launch of a more serious-minded news network. When Al Jazeera American debuted in 2013, it did so with a phalanx of prominent TV journalists from CNN and ABC, among other outlets, as well as a stated mission to pursue in-depth journalism about important issues and stories, rather than getting caught up in partisan debate or a desire to entertain.

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