Arabic news channel Al Jazeera has been removed today from the Sky EPG line-up at the “broadcaster’s request”, reports SkyDigiOnline.co.uk. A Sky spokesman confirmed to SkyDigiOnline that Al Jazeera had made this request and there was no other reason for the removal. The channel, which had been broadcasting on EPG 799, is expected to launch its English speaking news channel in the next few weeks.
Andy Sennitt comments: This may be a way of getting round the problem of the long wait for an EPG slot on Sky. The Arabic service was originally part of an Arabic-language subscription package. When that was scrapped, Al Jazeera remained on the Sky platform as a free-to-air service, but because it’s in Arabic only the UK audience must have been very small. I would not be surprised to see the new English service, which has been putting out promotional tests off the EPG for many months now, appear on EPG 799, although Al Jazeera would presumably prefer in due course to be on an EPG number in the 500’s, which is where the other 24-hour news channels are.
on Oct 1st, 2006 at 13:32
Hello there, i have to say i am very dissapointed at the removal of the arabic only news channel from sky digital. I have watched this channel for many years now, and despite the number of arabic speakers in the Uk being very small, it still attracted many viewers. You have to remember that on Skydigital there are amny channels in many different languages, including punjabi, malay, and gujarati all of which were distinctly less popular than al jazeera. Do you know of any other way this channel can be received on my Sky digi box, now that it has been removed? Thanks
on Oct 2nd, 2006 at 07:11
Given that the channel concerned was removed at the request of the broadcaster concerned, I can only suggest you contact Al Jazeera and ask them …
on Apr 26th, 2007 at 20:39
Aljazeera, was still accesible on Sky digital for a couple of months after they have removed it from EPG 799. by adding it manually through the setup of your box. you could get the sattelite settings from al-jazeera’s website. But unfortunately, after the English Al-jazeera was broadcasted that trick was not possible anymore.