Al-Watan (Qatar)

For other uses, see Al-Watan.

Al Watan
الوطن
TypeDaily newspaper
FormatPrint, online
PublisherDar Al-Watan Printing, Publishing and Distribution Company WLL.
Founded1995; 30 years ago (1995)
Political alignmentPro-government
LanguageArabic
HeadquartersDoha
Circulation15,000 (2008)
WebsiteAl Watan website

Al-Watan (Arabic: الوطن meaning The Homeland) is a daily morning Arabic language political newspaper based in Doha, Qatar.[1] The paper is one of the three Arabic newspapers in the country along with Al Raya and Al Sharq.[2]

History and circulation

Al-Watan was founded in 1995[3] and was the first newspaper to be launched in Qatar after the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, abolished press censorship.[4] Its parent company is Dar Al Watan Printing, Publishing and Distribution Company WLL. With the publication of the daily the other leading Qatari Arabic paper Al Raya lost its one-third of its circulation.[5] The 2008 circulation of the daily was 15,000.[6]

In 2020 the website Industry Arabic named Al-Watan as the fourth influential Arabic newspaper.[3]

Ownership

The former foreign minister, Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, owns half of the newspaper.[7]

References

  1. ^ Amin H (2001). Mass media in the Arab states between diversification and stagnation in Kai Hafez and David L. Paletz (Editors) Mass media, politics, and society in the Middle East. Hampton Press, ISBN 978-1-57273-303-9
  2. ^ Barrie Gunter; Roger Dickinson (2013). News Media in the Arab World: A Study of 10 Arab and Muslim Countries. A&C Black. p. 28. ISBN 978-1-4411-0239-3.
  3. ^ a b "Ranked: The Most Influential Arabic Newspapers (2020 Edition)". Industry Arabic. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Clients". KnowledgeView. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  5. ^ William A. Rugh (2004). Arab Mass Media: Newspapers, Radio, and Television in Arab Politics. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 60. ISBN 978-0-275-98212-6.
  6. ^ "Media sustainability index 2008" (PDF). IREX. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  7. ^ "Arab Media Review: Anti-semitism and other trends" (PDF). Anti-Defamation League (ADL). July–December 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 January 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2012.