With Al Jazeera America debuting this week, a check of the cable news channel’s critical reception by TVNewser.com found that while some kinks need to be worked out, the initial effort was generally well received.
David Zurawik of the Baltimore Sun called the channel’s delivery "solidly-reported and skillfully packaged," while comparing the network to the BBC. "Some of the camera work almost takes your breath away," he wrote.
Brian Lowry of Variety compared the network to PBS, writing that Al Jazeera America had "nary a wacky human-interest or feel-good story to be found."
Still, while the network is delivering news free of gimmicks, the "tradeoff appears to be a lack of entertainment value," the Los Angeles Times’ Company Town notes.
Since when does informative news reporting need to have ‘entertainment value?’ You want entertainment value, watch American Idol.
I agree with you but there was also a curiosity among those who had never seen any of Al Jazeera’s content before regarding how professional their video would look and that curiosity was satisfied. I’ve seen the English language AJ newscast via MHz and have found it to be one of the most professional & even-handed news programs in the world. RT, aka Russia Today, on the other hand, would make former ‘PRAVDA’ editors complain about their ‘anti-US’ slant.