Al Sharq

Al Sharq (Arabic: الشرق, romanized: The Orient) is an Arabic pro-government daily newspaper published in Doha, Qatar.[1] The paper is one of the three leading Arabic newspapers in the country in addition to Al Raya and Al Watan.[2]

Al Sharq
TypeDaily newspaper
Owner(s)Dar Al Sharq
Founded1987 (1987)
Political alignmentPro-government
LanguageArabic
HeadquartersDoha
CountryQatar
Sister newspapersThe Peninsula
WebsiteAl Sharq

History and profile

Al Sharq was launched in 1987[3] and was published by Al Watan Printing and Publishing House under the name of Al Khaleej Al Youm (Arabic: Gulf Today).[1] Eighteen months after its start it was sold to Dar Al Sharq, and the paper was renamed as Al Sharq.[1] The publisher of the paper which is led by a member of the ruling family, Al Thani, Khalid bin Thani Al Thani,[4] also own the English daily The Peninsula and Arabic women's magazine Sayyidat Al Sharq.[5][6]

Al Sharq is based in Doha.[7] As of 2012 the editor and manager of Al Sharq was Abdul Latif Al Mahmoud.[6] Jaber Al Harami was the editor-in-chief in 2016.[3]

In 1996 Al Sharq started a page on the environmental issues.[8] However, it was ended soon.[8] Then the daily began to publish random articles and reports on environmental topics.[8] In addition, it has large supplements on sports, business and finance. Since June 2012 the daily has offered a monthly supplement which is developed by Anadolu Agency's Middle East and Africa regional directorate.[9]

In 2011 Al Sharq was one of the 50 most powerful online Arab newspapers in the list of Forbes.[3]

The circulation of Al Sharq was about 10,000 in the early 1990s.[1] In 2000 the paper reached a circulation of 47,000 circulation.[10] Its estimated circulation in 2003 was 15,000 copies.[11] In 2008 the daily also sold 15,000 copies.[12]

Political stance and content

Al Sharq has a pro-government political stance although it is owned by a private company, Dar Al Sharq.[13][14] It mostly provides news about the meetings and activities of the ruling family, Al Thani, and government officials. However, in 2008 a Jordanian journalist working for the daily was sentenced to three-year imprisonment due to her article in which she criticized Hamad hospital administration.[15]

While reporting the events following the 2013 coup in Egypt Al Sharq praised security forces while its rival Al Raya, another Arabic Qatari paper, emphasized the demonstrations by the supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and ousted President Mohamed Morsi.[16]

References
  1. Mohamed M. Arafa (1994). "Qatar". In Yahya R. Kamalipour; Hamid Mowlana (eds.). Mass Media in the Middle East: A Comprehensive Handbook. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-3132-8535-6.
  2. Khaled Al Jaber; Barrie Gunter (2013). "Evolving News Systems in the Gulf Countries". In Barrie Gunter; Roger Dickinson (eds.). News Media in the Arab World: A Study of 10 Arab and Muslim Countries. New York; London: Bloomsbury Academic. p. 28. ISBN 978-1-4411-0239-3.
  3. "Dar Al Sharq Group and KidzMondo in tie-up". The Peninsula. 26 September 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
  4. "Board of Directors". Qatari Businessmen Association. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
  5. "Dar Al Sharq". The Peninsula. Archived from the original on 28 November 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  6. "Arab Media Review (January–June 2012)" (PDF). Anti-Defamation League. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  7. "Qatari newspapers". Araboo. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  8. Najib Saab. "The Environment in Arab Media" (PDF). Arab Forum for Environment and Development. Archived from the original (Report) on 10 October 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  9. "Qatari newspaper Al-Sharq promotes Turkey". Anadolu Agency. Istanbul. 27 June 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  10. "World Press Trends" (PDF). World Association of Newspapers. Paris. 2004. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  11. William A. Rugh (2004). Arab Mass Media: Newspapers, Radio, and Television in Arab Politics. Westport, CT; London: Praeger. p. 61. ISBN 978-0-275-98212-6.
  12. "Media sustainability index 2008" (PDF). IREX. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  13. "Qatari newspapers". w3newspapers. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  14. "Qatar profile". BBC. 26 June 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  15. Qays Jawad Azzawi (2010). "Media in the Middle East and North Africa". In Abdallah Shalaby; et al. (eds.). Towards a Better Life: How to Improve the State of Democracy in the Middle East and North Africa. Istanbul: GPoT. p. 123. ISBN 978-605-4233-21-2.
  16. "Of Egypt and Arabs". Al Ahram Weekly. Vol. 3383. 16 June 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
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