Al Jazeera launches business site AJ Impact

Al Jazeera has announced an expansion into business and economics news with the launch of AJ Impact, a vertical dedicated to in-depth coverage of the economic forces shaping our world.

Featuring original content produced by Al Jazeera’s journalists and curated content from Bloomberg, AJ Impact will encompass all formats including articles, digital video, podcasts and infographics.

Al Jazeera has established new offices in New York City to house a dedicated editorial team to support the new property.

“AJ Impact introduces a new perspective to the landscape of business news,” Al Jazeera Media Network said in a statement.

“Grounded in Al Jazeera’s mission to give voice to the voiceless and supported by a diverse international  news team, AJ Impact will provide unbiased and inclusive reporting that boosts financial literacy and empowers news consumers to create a more just and sustainable global economy,” the statement added.

The business site will focus on four key areas; global economy, inequality, technology and the burgeoning field of impact investing, which seeks to produce healthy outcomes for people and the planet as well as financial returns.

“We see a large unmet need for a new kind of business coverage told from a human perspective, and with global reach,” Yaser Bishr, executive vice president of digital for Al Jazeera Media Network, said.

“In a media landscape that has forced other news organisations to cut back, AJ Impact represents a substantial commitment of new staff and resources to make business coverage more accessible and more relevant to all citizens of the global economy.”

Patricia Sabga, Al Jazeera’s new managing business editor overseeing AJ Impact, said traditional business news focusses on the pursuit of profit, often ignoring negative impacts on people and the environment.

“This approach does not reflect the mission of Al Jazeera, nor does it reflect the values of next-generation news consumers who understand that how they spend and invest money – even as little as a dollar – can help create a more just, prosperous and sustainable global economy.

“By producing and curating stories with a global purview and a human perspective, AJ Impact will boost economic literacy while demonstrating how we all have a stake in every economic policy and decision whether in our own backyards or thousands of miles away,” Sabga added.

In addition to expanding Al Jazeera’s English-language news coverage, AJ Impact will boost the network’s broader portfolio of digital offerings, podcast studio Jetty, and immersive video studio Contrast. 

Aljazeera.com will launch the business vertical on Wednesday.