Al Jazeera ( , literally "The Peninsula", referring to the
Arabian Peninsula), also known as
JSC (Jazeera Satellite Channel), is a
Doha-based state-funded broadcaster owned by the
Al Jazeera Media Network, which is partly funded by the
House of Thani, the ruling family of
Qatar. Initially launched as an Arabic news and
current affairs satellite TV channel, Al Jazeera has since expanded into a network with several outlets, including the Internet and
specialty TV channels in multiple languages.