Al-Jazeera plans to launch multi-lingual services; India targeted

MUMBAI: The Arab satellite television network Al-Jazeera is planning to launch services in Urdu, Turkish, French and Spanish. The organisation has associated with the Dubai based ARY Digital Network to form Al Jazeera Urdu International for the Urdu service.

With its Urdu-launch, the Qatar-based network is hoping to attract up to 110 million viewers in India and Pakistan, apart from viewers in the UAE and other Gulf countries, the UK, Europe and the US.

The test transmissions for the Urdu service were launched on 31 January. The full subscription service will be available by June-July 2006. Depending on the success of the venture, the Urdu service will be made available in Britain as well.