About Us
Al Jazeera Documentary Channel
Behind every picture… there is a story
Who we are
Al Jazeera Documentary Channel is the first Arabic-language documentary channel dedicated exclusively to documentary productions in the Middle East and North Africa. It aims to be the window that overlooks the Arab-speaking audience with a range of high-quality documentary films.
What we do
Committed to being the ‘voice for the voiceless’ by telling human stories, our 24-hour programming is diversified and of the highest quality. It encourages innovative thinking in people worldwide and inspires future generations of great filmmakers. Whether political, historical, social, or cultural, our mission is to make brilliant films. We are Al Jazeera Documentary and we seek to serve people by promoting a culture of communication and empathy.
Our strategic objective
- Embracing the Arab identity — The Arab world is our arena. With its rich history and diverse cultures, the channel’s main role is capturing unique stories in every documentary film.
- Cultivating the Documentary Industry — We continue to support the documentary filmmaking industry by serving as a pioneering advocate for documentary films.
Our content & programming strategy
We broadcast Educational documentaries to widen factual knowledge, from edutainment that merges information with creativity, to inspirational stories that uphold values and social causes. Our pioneering documentaries push boundaries in the Arab world’s media landscape, while human-centric narratives place people and their experiences at the heart of our storytelling. We capture life as it unfolds through observational documentaries and create reality-exposing films that shine a light on hidden truths, spark conversations, and inspire change. Through this mix, we strive to offer content that’s not only informative and entertaining, but also drives impact.
2025 Focus Topics:
- Human rights, Democracy and Social Justice
- Poverty & Food Security
- Nature & Wild Preservation
- Climate Change and Conservation
- Life under water
- Sustainable Living & Renewable Energy
- Ramadan & Hajj
- Migration
- Cultural Heritage
- Education
- Economic growth
- Digital privacy & Cybersecurity
Our Content
Commission and Co- Production
Al Jazeera Documentary Channel delves into the rich tapestry of Arab culture, history, and society. We offer a glimpse into the lives, traditions, and challenges faced by people in the region. Our Productions are over 80 hours per year and are a combination of In house – Commission and Co Production content. Proposal submissions are accepted through the portal, open twice a year in November and April.
Acquisition
As Al Jazeera documentary Channel is the first Arabic speaking Channel in the MENA region, we aim to inform, entertain and raise awareness by providing content from around the world to our audiences in the Arabic language (voice-over and subtitling) Acquiring around 300 hours per year of content from around the world.
Rights
Content rights vary based on type, below is a brief structure of the rights obtained per content
|
Region |
Linear/ Online/ FVOD |
Type |
|
MENA |
Geo Blocked Linear rights including online catch-up rights exclusively for our YouTube channel, with geo-blocking to the MENA region, along with FVOD rights for the AJMN OTT application |
Co- Production |
|
Global |
Full rights |
Commission |
|
MENA |
Minimum of 3 years Geo Blocked Linear rights, including online catch-up rights exclusively for our YouTube channel, with geo-blocking to the MENA region, it may include also geo-blocked FVOD rights for the AJMN OTT application. |
Acquisition |
Our Partnerships
Al Jazeera Documentary Channels’ has not only expanded its reach but has also elevated its credibility within the global documentary community.
Through its partnerships with festivals and institutions, Al Jazeera Documentary has played a pivotal role in shaping the documentary landscape and promoting cultural exchange on a global scale.
Al Jazeera Documentary Industry Days
AJD Industry Days is an international pitching forum intended to support the expansion of documentaries worldwide, including international co-productions. It aims to bring stories from regions that are often underreported, and acting as a launchpad to match filmmakers in different stages of production with key international players, including producers, commissioning editors and distributors to help secure funding.
This year’s edition saw over 80 decision-makers, 30 promising projects pitched, and prizes worth $120,000 awarded.
Contact Us:
- General: documentary@aljazeera.net
- Production Department: ajd-production@aljazeera.net
- Acquisition Department: ajd-acquisition@aljazeera.net
- AJD Industry Days: ajdindustrydays@aljazeera.net