Joe Kohen/Getty ImagesAl Jazeera is making a big purchase: Current TV, the low-rated news channel co-founded by Al Gore.
The New York Times reports that the Qatar-based cable news company is buying Current TV.
"We are proud and pleased that Al Jazeera, the award-winning international news organization, has bought Current TV," said Al Gore in a statement with co-founder Joel Hyatt.
The statement adds, "Since its founding in 2005, Current has grown into a national network available in nearly 60 million homes, offering thought-provoking commentary and Emmy and Peabody award-winning programming. Current Media was built based on a few key goals: to give voice to those who are not typically heard; to speak truth to power; to provide independent and diverse points of view; and to tell the stories that no one else is telling. Al Jazeera, like Current, believes that facts and truth lead to a better understanding of the world around us."
Current TV is available in about 60 million of the 100 million homes in the United States with cable or satellite service, which would help Al Jazeera become more prominent in America. According to Nielsen, Current is averaging about 42,000 viewers on a typical night. However, one cable provider will no longer be carrying the channel. Time Warner Cable tells E! News, "Our agreement with Current has been terminated and we will no longer be carrying the service. We are removing the service as quickly as possible."
Gore and businessman Joel Hyatt launched Current TV in 2005.
Current TV made headlines last year when they were sued by Keith Olbermann, a former MSNBC commentator, who was fired after signing a lucrative $50 million contract; they later counter-sued Olbermann. In his lawsuit, Olbermann said, "dysfunction permeated all levels" of Current.