The launch of the Al Jazeera channels on Turksat will substantially increase Al Jazeera's presence in this important market where the Network already broadcasts to over eight million households.

Phil Lawrie, Al Jazeera Network's Director of Global Distribution, said 'The continued expansion of our reach in Turkey is integral to our growth in the region and our international distribution efforts.'

'This new digital cable platform will allow our viewers in the region to watch our ground breaking channel in high quality and will be accessible to all subscribers of Turksat's 'big basic' package,' Lawrie added.

Bridging Europe and Asia, and with a population of 70 million, Turkey is at the heart of world affairs and a key market for the Network. Both Al Jazeera English and Al Jazeera Arabic are already carried on Turksat's free-to-air satellite DTH platform (reaching 6m households) and Al Jazeera English is carried on Digiturk's DTH service (reaching 2m households).

Al Jazeera English already reaches over 130 million households worldwide and Al Jazeera Arabic is available in over 50 million homes across the globe. This new advance grants even m