Al Jazeera official says web traffic skyrocketed during protests

[Joanne98]

Source: LA Times

Tony Burman, Al Jazeera’s head of strategy for the Americas, said traffic to the satelite network's English-language website, where a live stream of its broadcast is available, increased 2,500% during the past week of Egypt coverage. He said up to 60% of the traffic was from the United States.

In a commentary in Saturday's Toronto Star, Burman noted that during that period, an estimated 7 million Americans have watched 50 million minutes of Al Jazeera coverage.

California-based Link TV, watched by more than 33 million American households via the DirecTV and Dish satellite systems, has been broadcasting up to 12 hours of Al Jazeera coverage daily, said Burman, former managing director of Al Jazeera English and a former editor-in-chief of CBC News.

"Al Jazeera has been unique among broadcasters by making its content available to cable and satellite systems worldwide so that potential viewers — particularly in Canada and the U.S. — can decide for themselves whether they want to watch," Burman wrote. "In Canada this month, in light of the events in Egypt and the growing public interest in the channel's news and programming, AJE (Al Jazeera English) is being made available in February free-of-charge as a 'free preview' to all of its affiliates in Canada."

Read more: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/02/egypt-al-jazeera-official-says-web-traffic-skyrocketed-during-protests.html

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People wanted LIVE coverage not the US FILTER and infotainment!

[Dennis Donovan]

1. Recommended - I've watched it daily for 12 days now...

[dipsydoodle]

2. I'm not really surprised

I've kept a window open on the computer which is upstairs quite apart from the leaving the TV on Al Jazz downstairs.

Good honest reporting.

:hi:

[irislake]

3. MSM is now by-passed for good reason.

Looks good on 'em!

[tavalon]

5. Cable free for a decade

I decline to allow that stream of crap to infect my home.

[tavalon]

4. I am one of them

I even gave up Rachel during this time and spent it all on Al Jazeera.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Have to admit it was Egypt that introduced me to Al Jazeera

along with a few DU members who pointed out where to find it on line.
I was thinking I picked a hell of a time to cancel tv connection, but instead found a much better news option.

Also, I lived on Twitter for the past 12 days, for the first time really appreciate what it can do.

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. Have to admit it was Egypt that introduced me to Al Jazeera

along with a few DU members who pointed out where to find it on line.
I was thinking I picked a hell of a time to cancel tv connection, but instead found a much better news option.

Also, I lived on Twitter for the past 12 days, for the first time really appreciate what it can do.