SD : Current TV controversially sold and may be returning to UK Cable.

[RichardCoulter]

I was told this earlier today, but have had to wait until after 1am to share this.

For those who mourn the loss of Current TV on Sky and VM- it may be coming back!

Al Jazeera have bought it and are keen to explore ways to bring the station back to the UK.

FTA, FTV and Pay TV options are being considered.

I have no source to quote, but, as this sale is expected to be controversial, expect to see something in the news or on the internet in the next few days.

What do people think?

Is this good or bad?

I shall be pleased that it is to return, but am wary of foreign channels pumping propaganda into the country.

---------- Post added at 01:35 ---------- Previous post was at 01:15 ----------

Al Jazeera America is apparently replacing Current TV in US homes, so I would expect the channel here to be named something like Al Jazeera UK.

---------- Post added at 01:57 ---------- Previous post was at 01:35 ----------

This is getting interesting. Reports now coming in that:

- Al Gore supporters believe that he has "sold out".

- Time Warner Cable (TWC) pulled the plug minutes ago upon hearing the news. Viewers trying to access Current TV now get a blue screen saying "This channel is no longer available".

Are TWC connected to Fox in some way?

- Al Jazeera are being accused of buying Current TV to simply use it as a news channel as Al Jazeera English has been "heavily censored".

I'm not sure how TWC can drop the channel if a carriage agreement is in place.

Wouldn't the problems faced by Al Jazeera English also be faced by Al Jazeera America?

I think I have no idea what "Current TV" is (or was ?) and I wont ever be watching Al Jazeera UK or whatever it ends up being called so I really dont care tbh.

[RichardCoulter]

Current TV was set up by Al Gore in America and then came to the UK.

It was on Sky and VM. Sky abruptly pulled the plug on sharing the sub money with them, saying that they weren't giving value to the platform.

Many people believe that this was done by Sky to get rid of them because they broadcast opposing views to Murdoch.

Without having time to set up a new business model and not being able to survive on the money from VM alone, Current TV say that they were forced to close their UK operations.

If it turns out to be true that Al Jazeera misled Current TV and only bought the channel to broadcast their material in America, it seems unlikely that Current TV will return to the UK.

With business morals and practices such as this, they should have an excellent working relationship with Sky...

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by Paul M

I think I have no idea what "Current TV" is (or was ?) and I wont ever be watching Al Jazeera UK or whatever it ends up being called so I really dont care tbh.

Not my kind of channel so will never be watched in my household.

Link to the story on the BBC

I watched Current TV with interest Because it had rather more investigative journalism than in many main stay news channels. I didn't spot anything iffy with the channel at all.

From the BBC article.

"Current Media was built based on a few key goals: To give voice to those who are not typically heard; to speak truth to power; to provide independent and diverse points of view; and to tell the stories that no one else is telling," Mr Gore and Mr Hyatt said in the statement.

[toady]

Originally Posted by Paul M

I think I have no idea what "Current TV" is (or was ?) and I wont ever be watching Al Jazeera UK or whatever it ends up being called so I really dont care tbh.

We are enjoying the current English language version of Al Jazeera, far more non US centred world news than Sky, BBC and ITN give us

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by Hugh

Link to the story on the BBC

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Maggy J

I watched Current TV with interest Because it had rather more investigative journalism than in many main stay news channels. I didn't spot anything iffy with the channel at all.

From the BBC article.

I used to sometimes watch Current TV on VM until it closed, the fear is that it will now be used as an Arab propaganda machine in America and may be coming to the UK.

Cable companies are probably blocking it to make a point, as the current programming is not set to change until next Spring, but can they be trusted?

Originally Posted by toady

We are enjoying the current English language version of Al Jazeera, far more non US centred world news than Sky, BBC and ITN give us

Just looked on their facebook page. It's causing reactions because, I think it's fair to say, most Current TV viewers are the PC type.

One half seems to be saying "it's racism to stop watching now", whilst the other half are saying that they will stop watching because it's funded by a regime that does not allow women to drive, stones people, does not allow freedom of speech etc. There are also claims that Al Jazeera celebrated 9/11

The latest news is that Comcast Cable have now blocked it.

[hdtvfan]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

I used to sometimes watch Current TV on VM until it closed, the fear is that it will now be used as an Arab propaganda machine in America and may be coming to the UK.

From what I have seen of Al Jazeera news its far less of an Arab propaganda machine in the west than Discovery or CNN are American propaganda machines. The English language version of their news channel is far more "fair and balanced" than Fox News. Been based in an Arab country it obviously has an Arab biased just like the BBC has a British bias and CNN, ABC have an American bias.

I hope Current TV returns in something close to what it was before. It was one of the best Documentary channels we had at the time as it focused on informing the viewers with insightful documentaries rather than filling its schedule with watching people at work on a boat, or driving a lorry or digging for gold.

[RichardCoulter]

The latest news is that shareholders in DirecTV are demanding it's removal.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Sirius

Not my kind of channel so will never be watched in my household.

+1.

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

The latest news is that shareholders in DirecTV are demanding it's removal.

Absolute nutters.

[eljay]

Originally Posted by hdtvfan

From what I have seen of Al Jazeera news its far less of an Arab propaganda machine in the west than Discovery or CNN are American propaganda machines. The English language version of their news channel is far more "fair and balanced" than Fox News. Been based in an Arab country it obviously has an Arab biased just like the BBC has a British bias and CNN, ABC have an American bias.

I hope Current TV returns in something close to what it was before. It was one of the best Documentary channels we had at the time as it focused on informing the viewers with insightful documentaries rather than filling its schedule with watching people at work on a boat, or driving a lorry or digging for gold.

Whilst I would agree with a lot of what hdtvfan says about biase on both sides. There is and will be a major difference between western and any middle eastern news and documentary stations. In the west we are almost constantly questioning and critiscising our political leaders and religious tenets & foundations. You will not see Al Jazeera questioning Islam or the Saudi Royal family in any way.

Press freedom of speech can be misused but I for one will not watch any channel that totally excludes that freedom.

[andrewbrown]

I have on occasion watched Al-Jazeera for a different point of view, especially when you have done BBC/Sky News to death. Recently I was abroad and mostly had access to CNN, but did try Fox a couple of times, and the open lies, bias, misrepresentation and behaviour of its presenters actually made me want to punch them. And I'm a placid person!

[RichardCoulter]

They must have a really bad marketing team.

The very name "Al Jazeera" conjures up images of Islam, terrorism etc in many peoples minds, before they've even watched anything.