Al Jazeera America shuts down operations after 32 months

Al Jazeera America was shut down on Tuesday after a costly and failed effort to break into the US cable news market.

The channel launched in 2013 by the global media group based in Qatar won praise for its news coverage, but fell far short of viewership and advertising goals.

The closure, announced in January, was set to be complete with the airing of a three-hour special Tuesday evening showcasing the channel's coverage since the launch.

"We have been privileged to cover stories of people who epitomise the strength and resilience of the human spirit. Individuals who have fought for good, who have tackled adversity, whose stories and voices deserve coverage," the group said in a statement.

"There are so many more people across America whose stories remain untold. Those stories need to be heard."

Al Jazeera, which operates one of the largest global news operations and is controlled by Qatar's royal family, paid some $500m to launch the US channel known as AJAM.

The outlet, which competed against CNN, MSNBC and Fox News Channel, did not release viewership data but some reports said its audience was only around 30,000 for the key prime-time hours.

In mid-2013, the channel went live after hiring some 850 staff and opening 12 bureaus across the United States and a state-of-the art studio in New York.

It faced a series of problems in addition to low viewership: lawsuits alleged an inhospitable work environment and the channel faced criticism for its report linking NFL star Peyton Manning to a banned growth hormone.

However, AJAM was recognised for its reporting, including winning Emmy and Peabody awards. 

Some analysts said the launch came at a time when viewers were moving away from traditional cable news to Internet-based news from organisations like Vice Media, BuzzFeed and Huffington Post.

Back in January, an internal memo from director general Mostefa Souag said the decision to shut down was "driven by the fact that our business model is simply not sustainable in light of the economic challenges in the US media marketplace".

Souag said the move would be accompanied by an expansion of Al Jazeera's digital services "to broaden our multi-platform presence in the United States".

Al Jazeera America chief executive Al Anstey told staff that he recognised that the shutdown "will be a massive disappointment for everyone here who has worked tirelessly for our long-term future," adding that "the decision was no reflection on the work of that staff". 

"Our commitment to great journalism is unrivalled," he said. "We have increasingly set ourselves apart from all the rest. And you are the most talented team any organisation could wish for."