The Stream is a daily television programme on Al Jazeera English. It is branded as a “Web community With a Global TV show”. It is an aggregator of online sources and discussion, seeking out unheard voices, new perspectives from people on the ground and untold angles related to the most compelling stories of the day. Previously, the show was hosted by Derrick Ashong and Imran Garda. Lisa Fletcher replaced them as the new presenter. On June 25, 2012, The Stream was relaunched with a new studio and opening graphics. Femi Oke replaced Fletcher when Fletcher was picked to host a version of The Stream on Al Jazeera America.
About the show
The show was devised by Executive ProducerJames Wright in November 2010 with the aim to put the social media at the center of the editorial process, for both sourcing stories and connecting to guests and community members. Stephen Phelps was brought in as Executive Producer to launch the show and build a team. "The idea is to tap into conversations that are already happening around the world from people who understand the issues but don't have the opportunity to participate in mainstream media." - Ahmed Shihab-Eldin The topics covered include stories that relate to social media and what is being discussed on the different platforms such as Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, Reddit and Twitter. The stream has partnered with Storify, a platform that lets users tell stories using social media such as tweets, photos and videos. Guests are mostly brought in through Skype. The Stream airs Monday through Thursday on Al Jazeera English at 19:30.
American version
A separate American version of The Stream was featured on Al Jazeera America. It was produced from Washington D.C. and hosted by Lisa Fletcher and Wajahat Ali. The show is identical in style to its Al Jazeera English counterpart, including being shot from the same studio and set in Washington D.C. It originally aired Monday through Friday at 7:30 pm eastern time with repeats throughout the day and on weekends. Featured guests on the show have ranged from civil rights activists to Kathy Griffin.
Awards
In 2012 The Stream won a Webby Award for People's Choice in news and politics in the online film and video category. The show was nominated for two Webbys in 2014. 2013 Gracie Award for Outstanding News Talk Show – The Stream 2012 Webby People’s Choice Award: for News and politics – The Stream 2012 Royal Television Society UK – Most Innovative Program – The Stream
