Guess Which Former CNN Host Landed a New Role With Al Jazeera

Broadcast journalist Soledad O'Brien attends a birthday party on March 26, 2013 in New York City. (Photo: Getty Images)

Former CNN host Soledad O'Brien will be joining Al Jazeera America as a special correspondent, the Qatari-owned station revealed Monday morning.

She will be producing hour-long documentary specials with her company Starfish Media Group, and contributing to the network's prime time show "America Tonight."

“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 in a statement.

Ehab Al Shihabi, Al Jazeera's executive director of international operations, added: “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...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.”

Al Jazeera America has hired over 600 people in America in preparation for its official launch in late August, Shihabi said last week.  It will be available in about 49 million households, Reuters reports.

Al Jazeera bought Al Gore's fledgling network, Current TV, in January as part of the effort to reach more Americans.  The move increased its broadcast reach roughly ninefold from Al Jazeera English, which was available to about 4.7 million homes.

O'Brien's program on CNN ended on March 29 amid struggling ratings and network changes.

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