Prior INdTV founders Al Gore and Joel Hyatt, with Ronald Burkle, each held a sizable stake in Current TV.

On January 2, 2013, it was announced that Current TV had been sold by Gore and Hyatt to Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera Media Network.

In the summer of 2004, Gore and Hyatt announced their new network, named INdTV, with a series of public recruitment events.

On April 4, 2005, the former vice president with business partner Hyatt announced that they had changed the name of the network from "INdTV" to "Current TV".

On October 6, 2006, a deal was announced with BSkyB to create a localized UK and Ireland version of Current TV for its Sky satellite service.

[9] The first documentary aired on the launch was 'Tracking William, a Night With a Paparazzo' from director Daniel Florencio, a prolific contributor of the channel.

The channel closed on March 11, 2012, following BSkyB's withdrawal of support and a failed rescue attempt from Current TV.

On January 28, 2009, Current Media Inc. announced that it intended to launch an initial public offering on the NASDAQ to raise US$100 million.

However, it announced in early April that it was scrapping the plan due to "current market conditions" and that no securities had been sold, and all activity regarding the proposed IPO had been discontinued.

[19] In July 2009, Current TV made a series of changes due to financial reasons and the failed IPO.

Ultimately its assorted pod format[clarification needed] was discontinued in lieu of traditional 30-minute block programing.

[20][21] In late 2009, after the announcement of the Comcast-NBC Universal merger, Comcast Corporation submitted a filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission that revealed it owned a ten percent stake of Current Media LLC.

[27] On August 4, BBC News reported that Lee and Ling were pardoned amidst a visit by former U.S. president Bill Clinton to North Korea.

To signify these changes, Current unveiled new imaging and a new logo in May 2011, designed by branding firm Wolff Olins.

On February 8, 2011, Keith Olbermann announced that he had been hired to host a new primetime show on Current TV and was named Chief News Officer with an equity stake in the network.

In August 2011, Current announced that it had hired former CNN Bureau Chief and SVP of Programming David Bohrman as the network's new president.

Bohrman later announced that after filling out its prime-time lineup, Current would also gradually begin shifting towards "a full daytime, morning schedule of news, information, analysis, conversation, context – all based on the events of the day" from an independent, progressive perspective.

[29] This was interpreted by Mediaite's Political Editor and White House Correspondent Tommy Christopher as an attempt to compete against MSNBC's Morning Joe (which aired from 6 am to 9 am).

A statement released by network founders Al Gore and Joel Hyatt explained how the network's "values are no longer reflected" in Current's relationship with Olbermann, and that former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer would begin hosting Viewpoint effective immediately in the time slot previously occupied by Olbermann.

[44] It was previously reported in April 2012 that TWC and Bright House were considering to drop the channel due to low ratings.

[39] Al Jazeera America still replaced Current TV on Comcast, Dish Network, Verizon and DirecTV.

Time Warner and Bright House later added Al Jazeera America on December 6, 2013, after a new deal was signed 2 months earlier.

It was also mentioned that after the acquisition of Current, he had brief talks with Al Jazeera America about whether there would be a place for him and the show, but both sides agreed that Uygur, known for political rants, would not fit well with the company's plans to build a news source with a more neutral tone.

[46] That same day, Jennifer Granholm, host of The War Room with Jennifer Granholm, announced that she would leave the channel as a result of the acquisition,[47] as did Gavin Newsom, host of The Gavin Newsom Show, who was reported to have planned on leaving the network earlier.

[49] It was announced in an article in Politico at the time of the purchase that Bill Press didn't expect to continue his show with Al Jazeera once the change officially took place.

[51] Stephanie Miller announced later after a hiatus from television syndaication that her show would also move to Free Speech TV in January 2014.

In a January 22, 2014 article in Politico Al Jazeera spokesman Stan Collender said the network's launch would be pushed back to within six months, and would create "multiple hundreds of new jobs" and new bureaus around the country.

The building was also home to Al Jazeera's digital team and other departments as well as the base for the show Fault Lines.