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Doha (pte022/04.03.2005/12:00) - Al-Jazeera http://www.aljazeera.net has appointed the former director of CNBC Europe to manage the commercial operations of its new English-language channel as it gets ready for its launch later this year. As the Media Guardian http://www.mediaguardian.co.uk reports, the Doha-based broadcaster has confirmed it has hired Lindsey Oliver as the new channel continues a recruitment drive to sign up around 300 staff. Former Hill and Knowlton executive Charlotte Dent has also joined as the head of public relations.
According to Nigel Parsons, Al-Jazeera's international managing director, the service will launch before Christmas, broadcasting across the globe from key news centres in London, Doha, Washington and Kuala Lumpur. Steve Clarke, Al-Jazeera International's director of news, said the arrival of Al Anstey and Nick Walshe - formerly top foreign news executives at ITN - to take up senior roles would speed plans to get the English-language service off the ground. "Together we will work to bring the English-speaking world an alternative voice in news and to provide both a regional voice and a global perspective to a potential world audience of over one billion English speakers."
Both Anstey and Walshe are expected to arrive at Al-Jazeera's Doha base within the next six weeks, as the advance guard of an expected 200 journalists, which the broadcaster is targeting to get the 24-hour news channel on air. Parsons declined to say how much Al-Jazeera was investing into the English-language channel. However, he said the new signings "strengthened the management team" and enabled the broadcaster to "effectively communicate our achievements to a global audience".
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