Al Jazeera was officially started in 1996. "Al Jazeera" is an Arabic word that means "The Island" which is referring to the Arabian Peninsula. It originally started in the Middle East but soon spread all over the world, including the United States. On June 4, 2005, Al Jazeera announced that an English version of Al Jazeera would be made. Al Jazeera English began on November 15, 2006. There would be broadcast centers in London, Kuala Lumpur as well as Washington D.C. Al Jazeera English was originally called Al Jazeera International. There was a bit of controversy with beginning Al Jazeera English. Some thought that Al Jazeera was based off of extremism and others felt as if Al Jazeera was better off being solely for those who lived in the Middle East. Al Jazeera broadcasts 24 hour current English news for people all over the world.