A new studio complex has been built in Park Royal, London to house Alaraby, a TV station beaming programming to the Arab world, and financed by Qatar.

Alaraby TV started broadcasting in 2015 from a shared studio, but its new complex will eventually be home initially 200 journalists and technicians – and as many as 400 over time – in what the broadcaster says is the biggest shake-up to Arab news broadcasting since the establishment of Al Jazeera some 20 years ago.

“Transparency is the key theme here,” said Yusuf El Saadi, the new channel’s creative director, and himself a veteran of the Al Jazeera network, talking to The New Arab. “The open design is not just a matter of layout, but is fundamental to our approach to the business. It is our starting point.”

The studio has 5 dedicated sets for its all-important discussion shows. There will be eight regular daily programmes in addition to its constant news output and it will transmit 24/7.

AlAraby TV is part of the Fadaat Media network, a Qatar-based operation. It is run by Doha-based Dr Azmi Bishari, a former member of the Israeli parliament. Alaraby is claimed to be independent. It transmits alongside BeIN Sports as is available as part of BeIN’s packages of channels on Es’Hail Sat, and Nilesat.

Categories: Articles, Broadcast