New TV news networks with truly global designs don't get launched too often.
They're hugely expensive to staff and operate, and their success involves negotiating with cable carriers in different countries with different audiences and different agendas. And frankly, the need for their existence is always questioned - at least in the beginning - more than it is applauded.
So it was certifiably noteworthy when, after several months' delay, Al-Jazeera English (AJE) finally launched in mid-November, reportedly to 80 million homes ...