At launch the network will have a staff of "hundreds," said Oliver, a former director of CNBC Europe.

The advertising-supported network will operate out of four broadcast centers – Washington, London, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia - and Doha, Qatar, its headquarters.

The international version of Al-Jazeera, which has been accused by Washington of having an anti-American, pro-terrorist bias, will launch on schedule "regardless of its subscriber count," according to the publication Broadcasting & Cable.

On the network’s schedule, the first half of each hour will be devoted to hard news, and the second will largely feature talk shows and documentaries.

The managing director of the network will be Nigel Parsons, a 30-year media veteran formerly with Associated Press Television News, and Yemen-born CNN veteran Riz Khan will host a live interview show.

The network is funded by the Emir of Qatar, who launched the Arab-language Al-Jazeera in 1996.

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