November 2, 2002	Saturday	Sha’aban 26,1423

LONDON, Nov 1: The Arabic television news station Al Jazeera is planning to target the English language market for the first time, a British daily said on Friday.

The station once denounced by the White House for “inciting attacks” against America and whose offices in Kabul were bombed by the US air force, now wants to reach millions more viewers in the West, The Times said.

Earlier this year, the 24-hour television channel was made available in Britain on satellite television in its original Arabic.

But, according to the right-of-centre Times newspaper, the Qatar-based station will, in the first quarter of next year, begin dubbing its news, commentaries and current affairs programmes into English for non-Arabic speakers.

The English version of Al Jazeera will be available across Europe, the daily said, and will enable viewers to monitor world events from a Middle Eastern perspective, according to its marketing director.

“First we will do the dubbing. Then based on the feedback we get from the audience in the West, we have a plan to do an English language channel,” the director said.

The Times said such a move would be controversial as Al Jazeera has made a habit of upsetting governments.—AFP