DOHA, 22 November 2003 — The Qatari-based Al-Jazeera satellite television station has appointed three new directors following a reshuffle of its board, the station’s spokesman said yesterday.
Jihad Ballout, Al-Jazeera’s communication and media relations manager, described the reshuffle as a “regular” move, saying the three appointees have replaced directors who had served on the seven-member board for a long period.
Ballout said the reshuffle, which was announced in a royal decree by Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad ibn Khalifa Al Thani, would not affect the station’s programming strategy.
Since its launch in 1996, Al-Jazeera has gained a reputation as an independent voice in a region where many news media are government-controlled.
Qatar’s government helped launch the station with a five-year $150 million loan, but Al-Jazeera executives have since claimed independence from the government and say the station now supports itself financially.
Last June, the station appointed Adnan Al-Sherif, a British citizen of Palestinian origin, as its new director.
