Former U.S. vice-president and environmental activist Al Gore has faced harsh criticism recently for selling Current TV to Al Jazeera, a Qatar-based news network funded largely by oil money.
After defending his choice in a interview on the Today Show, Gore spoke up again Saturday at a South by Southwest panel in Austin. Watch his full answer in the video, above.
"I knew when I made that decision...my principle obligation was to do business in a way that makes the world a better place," Gore told NowThis News.
"You have heard me be very critical of American television journalism. I think that the addition of a very high-quality, 24-7 honest-to-goodness news channel that covers international news as well as national â€" that covers climate, that covers poverty, that cover issues that are ignored today â€" has the potential to be disruptive in a creative and positive way, and raise the game for television journalism here in the United State of America."
Media consultant John Terenzio filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Gore, claiming that he originally came up with the idea for Current TV's sale to Al Jazeera, but was neither notified of the transaction, nor compensated. Gore co-founded Current TV, a cable and satellite television network, in 2002.
Al Jazeera is funded by the government of Qatar, but has said it maintains editorial independence.
What do you think of Gore's response? Tell us in the comments, below.
Screenshot image courtesy of NowThis News
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