Al Jazeera controversies and criticism a clear position in every country from which it reports—not based on journalistic priorities, but rather on the interests of the Foreign Ministry of Qatar," he says. "In order to maintain my integrity as a reporter, I had to quit." He writes, "The news channel Al Jazeera was committed to the truth. Now it is bent. It's about politics, not journalism. For the reporter that means: time to go. [...] The decline 2004–2011 was insidious, subliminal and very slow, but with a disastrous end." Walid Phares indicated that the Qatar-owned Al Jazeera television network became the "primary ideological and communication
Al Jazeera America several media awards including the Peabody, Emmy, and Shorty Awards and citations from groups such as the National Association of Black Journalists and Native American Journalist Association. However, the network experienced low viewership ratings, averaging between 20,000 and 40,000 viewers on a typical day. Following the network's shutdown, Al Jazeera Media Network is planning on expanding its digital presence in the United States through ventures such as United States-based AJ+. On February 26, 2016, the Al Jazeera America website ceased operations. On February 11, 2016, writing in the television trade magazine, Broadcasting and Cable, industry pundit Joe Mohen proposed a