Award-winning news station, Al Jazeera America goes belly-up as the price of oil plunges

'Viewers will see a news channel unlike the others, as our programming proves Al Jazeera America will air fact-based, unbiased and in-depth news'

Award-winning news station Al Jazeera America has won several awards including Best Documentary at the International Emmy Awards and Best Show or Series at the News, Cablefax Digital Awards, but the renowned station is forced to close shop.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - "Al Jazeera" is Arabic for "peninsula," which is an area of land surrounded by water but remains connected firmly to the mainland. Like a peninsula, Al Jazeera America (AJA) stood out from the group to present international news to the masses through award-winning documentaries, journalism and shows.

The station's about page reads, "Our logo stays true to its Arabian roots with a distinctive calligraphy of the network name."

AJA further explains it "provides both domestic and international news coverage for its American audiences."

 Despite coverage for a variety of stories, AJA's ratings were low from its inception and now, two years later, it hovers at roughly 30,000 viewers, while larger networks rake in millions.

There are several factors that led to the network's closure, beginning with anti-Semitism and sexism allegations from former employees who claimed a "culture of fear" existed beneath the network's glossy exterior.

In a federal lawsuit filed in California, AJA's former senior vice president shared the network "favored its Arabic and male employees, treating its non-Arabic female employees as second class citizens."

The case continues.

AJA's parent company, Al Jazeera Media, later cut hundreds of jobs in what The Guardian believes was due to falling oil prices, but in a memo reported by AJA, the network's CEO Al Anstey wrote: "I greatly respect the unrivaled commitment and excellent work of our team, which has created great journalism.

"We have increasingly set ourselves apart from all the rest, and the achievements of the past two-and-a-half years should be a source of immense pride for everyone."

The memo included information concerning the eventual closure of the company, which was "driven by the fact that our business model is simply not sustainable in light of the economic challenges in the U.S. media marketplace."

Anstey added: "I know the closure of AJAM will be a massive disappointment for everyone here who has worked tirelessly for our long-term future ... Our commitment to great journalism is unrivaled. We have increasingly set ourselves apart from all the rest. And you are the most talented team any organization could wish for.

In a statement, the network said: "As audiences increasingly turn to multiple platforms, including mobile devices, for news and information, this expansion will allow U.S. and non-U.S. consumers alike to access the network's journalism and content wherever and whenever they want.

"By expanding its digital content and distribution services to now include the U.S., the network will be better positioned to innovate and compete in an overwhelmingly digital world to serve today's 24-hour digitally focused audience."

Though the televised venture has come to a conclusion, the memo emailed to employees indicated the company will be expanding "its existing international digital services" in the U.S.

More details concerning the release will be available in the coming months.

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