Al Jazeera celebrates 30 years 'of transforming news in Middle East and beyond'

Al Jazeera, the Qatari media network, celebrated its 30th anniversary on Sunday, announcing the launch of a new "ecosystem" of news channels. At a ceremony in Doha, attended by Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and senior officials, Al Jazeera emphasized its commitment to impartiality, truth, and accuracy in reporting to global audiences.

Al Jazeera Arabic was launched 30 years ago on November 1, 1996, with a $137 million grant from the Qatari state and an annual $100 million grant. The channel initially broadcast for six hours a day, focusing on Arab viewers seeking alternative media to state-controlled outlets. Many of the network's early staff came from the BBC, which had also launched an Arabic TV channel before discontinuing it due to censorship from Saudi Arabia.

The network gained prominence during the US-led invasion of Afghanistan, becoming the only 24-hour satellite link to Kabul, and later covered significant events such as the Iraq invasion, Syrian civil war, Arab Spring revolutions, and the Israel-Gaza conflict. Israeli forces have repeatedly targeted Al Jazeera, banning its offices in Israel and the West Bank and killing at least 10 of its staff.

At the 30th-anniversary celebration, Al Jazeera's chairman, Hamad bin Thamer bin Mohammed Al Thani, stated that the network had exceeded expectations, while its director general, Nasser bin Faisal bin Khalifa Al Thani, called for renewal to maintain its bold beginnings. In response to changing media consumption habits, Al Jazeera announced the launch of a new ecosystem of channels focused on speed, depth, and the human dimension.