Former CNN anchor Soledad O'Brien has reached a deal with Al Jazeera America in which she will contribute short segments and her production company, Starfish Media Group, will produce hour-long documentary specials.
O'Brien will serve as special correspondent to Al Jazeera America's primetime current affairs magazine program "America Tonight." Until February, she hosted CNN's "Starting Point." The network has since replaced the show with "New Day."
"O'Brien's career producing and reporting on the human side of many of the most important stories of the past decade will fit in perfectly with what Al Jazeera America will be covering every day," said Ehab Al Shihabi, executive director of Al Jazeera's international operations and the senior executive developing the new channel. "Her dedication to that type of journalism is what makes it so exciting to announce that she and her production company are joining the Al Jazeera America team."
"I look forward to beginning a relationship with Al Jazeera America, which has made a commitment to producing quality programming and pursuing underreported stories," O'Brien said. "I am thrilled to be back in business with Kim Bondy, who is a long-time friend and among the finest journalists in the broadcast news business today. With this agreement, Starfish continues its expansion as a cross-platform media company dedicated to compelling storytelling and enterprise journalism."
"Soledad and I have worked together since 1997, so I know she cares deeply about covering the human side of a story based solely on the facts," said Bondy, senior executive producer of "America Tonight."
TV Newser tweeted last week that O'Brien was in negotiations with Al Jazeera, which is launching in August.
Before hosting "Starting Point," O'Brien co-anchored "American Morning" for CNN. She came to CNN from NBC News, where she anchored "Weekend Today."
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