Al Jazeera America prime time news anchor John Seigenthaler, EVP of communications Dawn Bridges and producer Mary Caraccioli joined SMU student media for a roundtable Wednesday afternoon.

The discussion focused on what differentiate Al Jazeera from other traditional news cable outlets like FOX, CNN and MSNBC.

“We get to the heart of issues,” Caraccioli said, “putting our boots on the ground across the U.S. where no other networks are going to invest.”

The network officials said they use a different approach to news, focusing more on producing content that takes a more in-depth look at the most pressing news stories of the day, but also on stories that often go underreported.

“The goal isn’t just the number of eyeballs,” Bridges said. “It is also to bring stories to light and issues to light that might not otherwise be known about.”

The Al Jazeera staff also addressed the doubts that some Americans may have about the organization’s association with the Middle East. The Al Jazeera Media Network is owned by the state of Qatar, where the network originated over a year ago. Since then, it has gone global.

Caraccioli stated that just because the network has an Arabic name and icon does not mean the company is impartial to Middle Eastern nations.

Al Jazeera America was launched in August 2013 after taking over the CurrentTV network. The Al Jazeera Media Network is based in New York and has 70 bureaus around the country and world, including one in Dallas.

“It’s been a ride and we’re just starting,” Seigenthaler said.

For a more in-depth look at Al Jazeera and the roundtable discussion, check out The Daily Campus Friday.