Al Jazeera America to Shut Down

Related: Herring Networks Eyes Buying Al Jazeera America

Al Jazeera America, the American network arm of Qatar-based news organization Al Jazeera, will shut down by the end of April.

Staff were notified of the decision to shutter the network, which debuted in 2013 after much fanfare, at a company-wide meeting.

Al Jazeera has taken some heat in America over the past few weeks for a story on U.S. athletes' alleged use of performance enhancing drugs.

Washington Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, for one, has sued Al Jazeera over the Dec. 27 airing of a documentary that included allegations he had used performance enhancing drugs, an allegation later recanted by Al Jazeera's source.

Zimmerman had denied the allegation, which was also levelled, then recanted, against Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning and Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard.

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