04 April 2006 - Al Jazeera International, the 24-hour English-language news and current affairs channel, today announced plans for their reporting world media review programme Listening Post and confirmed former ABC news journalist, Richard Gizbert as presenter.

Listening Post will bring viewers around the world a weekly insight into how the news is handled by the world's media. It will monitor and examine all forms of media, all over the world. From the biggest network to the most obscure web bloggers Listening Post will report critically on what they cover - and what they don't. It will examine the big stories - and explain how and why coverage of them differs in different parts of the world.

As with the channel's news reporting, Listening Post will look at all sides of the story from all parts of the world and assess how news reporting changes depending on where it is coming from.

Gizbert joins Al Jazeera International's line-up of on-screen talent from ABC News where he worked since 1993. Starting as a correspondent in their London bureau Gizbert has reported abroad on many of the major international stories such as the conflicts in Iraq and the continuing unrest in the Middle East.

Director of Programmes at Al Jazeera International, Paul Gibbs said, "Listening Post is Al Jazeera International's eyes and ears on the world's electronic media. It's a fantastic addition to our line-up of extensive programmes."

Speaking on the announcement Richard Gizbert said, "I am thrilled to be part of Al Jazeera International and to be bringing Listening Post to the English speaking world. We will challenge the norm - Listening Post will analyse state-run television and question where news stops and propaganda begins."

"We're also looking for new voices, and we're willing to give our viewers a try. We don't care if they are from the West Bank or Washington. Global Village Voices will be the platform to be seen and heard via webcams or camera-phones on any and all stories that we do, from anywhere and everywhere, " Gizbert continued.

Listening Post is a fully commissioned jointly owned programme with Moonbeam Films Ltd. As a commissioning house Al Jazeera International's programmes will include material gathered from freelancers and independent companies all across the globe through a unique commissioning site: www.ajicommissioning.net 

Previously Gizbert worked as a correspondent-producer for CJOH-TV in Ottawa, where he produced in-depth features for Sunday Edition, the national current affairs programme. Prior to that, Gizbert was CJOH's parliamentary correspondent for five years, responsible for national political coverage. For his reporting of a bus hostage situation on Parliament Hill, Gizbert received the National Award for Breaking News Coverage.

From 1983 to 1985, Gizbert was a correspondent and political editor for CFTO-TV in Toronto, covering federal politics and co-anchoring special events coverage.

Gizbert is a graduate of Algonquin College in Ontario.

-Ends-

About Al Jazeera International
Al Jazeera International is the world's first English language news channel to be headquartered in the Middle East.  Broadcasting from within the Middle East, looking outwards, Al Jazeera International will report inclusively, offering all perspectives of a story, providing a fresh approach to news coverage and revolutionizing viewer choice across the globe.

Al Jazeera International is building on the ground breaking heritage of its sister Arab language channel - Al Jazeera, which was responsible for changing the face of news within the Middle East, extending that fresh perspective from regional to global.  Al Jazeera International is the only international channel inside the Middle East looking out.

With broadcasting centres strategically placed across the world in Doha, Kuala Lumpur, London, and Washington D.C., Al Jazeera International is perfectly positioned to bring the world a fresh 360 degree perspective on world news.

Al Jazeera International's reporting is accurate, impartial and objective.

For further information please contact:
FOR PRESS AT MIPTV please contact
Lana Khachan on
+974 586 8719.
Doha:
Charlotte Dent
+974 489 0716
Email: press.int@aljazeera.net

US:
Rana Jazayerli,
+1 202-372-6347
Email: rana.jazayerli@aljazeera.net
or Katie Bergius:
+212 486 7070
Email : aljazeera_intl@brownlloydjames.com
 
UK:
Sheila Thompson or Moira Whittle:
+44 207 591 9610
Email: aljazeerainternational@blj.co.uk

© Press Release 2006