What will the papers say?
What sort of an impact will Dubai's new newspaper, the Emirates Today, owned by Dubai Holding Group, have on existing English-language newspapers? There are currently five daily papers in the UAE:
1. Gulf News
Among western expats, Gulf News (circulation 91,000), owned by Al Nisr Publishing, is generally the best-regarded of the broadsheets. Over the past couple of years it has dramatically improved its content, quality, design and online version (300,000 hits per day). But in recent months some patchiness has crept back, perhaps due to staff being poached by the new paper. Gulf News arguably faces the toughest competition from the new Dubai paper, as its audience profile and content at this stage seem likely to be the most similar to it. Interestingly, Gulf News used to be a tabloid when founded in 1978, but was relaunched as a broadsheet in 1985.
2. Khaleej Times
The Khaleej Times (circulation 72,000), owned by Galadari Printing & Publishing, claims the highest readership (450,000) in the UAE and enjoys strongest popularity among subcontinental expats, the majority population here. It has a few very good journalists and is rated for its business pages, but its general level of writing and reporting is abysmal, not just in the level of grammar and accuracy, but also in basic journalism such as story content, story structure, tone and style.
3. 7Days
7Days (circulation 65,000) started out as a weekly, and is now a six-daily with no Saturday edition. A free tabloid, it has taken a different, quick-read approach to news, and is often described as a trailblazer, pushing boundaries with certain somewhat controversial stories. Its letters pages are some of the most heated and extensive in the UAE. Very much western-expat targeted, the paper syndicates a great deal from overseas, and has a strong lifestyle element in its content, giving a more magazine feel.
4. Gulf Today
The Gulf Today (circulation 36,000) is a broadsheet, started by Arabic daily Al Khaleej, with a generally quieter profile and smaller circulation than Gulf News or Khaleej Times. It covers local, international and regional news, but is not widely read at least among western expats.
5. Emirates Evening Post
The broadsheet Emirates Evening Post (print-run 28,000) is the youngest of the existing newspapers, published by Press Centre & Art Productions. It is the region's first afternoon daily newspaper, but has suffered from poor distribution. Targeted readership is most probably the UAE's subcontinental expat population.
1. Gulf News
Among western expats, Gulf News (circulation 91,000), owned by Al Nisr Publishing, is generally the best-regarded of the broadsheets. Over the past couple of years it has dramatically improved its content, quality, design and online version (300,000 hits per day). But in recent months some patchiness has crept back, perhaps due to staff being poached by the new paper. Gulf News arguably faces the toughest competition from the new Dubai paper, as its audience profile and content at this stage seem likely to be the most similar to it. Interestingly, Gulf News used to be a tabloid when founded in 1978, but was relaunched as a broadsheet in 1985.
2. Khaleej Times
The Khaleej Times (circulation 72,000), owned by Galadari Printing & Publishing, claims the highest readership (450,000) in the UAE and enjoys strongest popularity among subcontinental expats, the majority population here. It has a few very good journalists and is rated for its business pages, but its general level of writing and reporting is abysmal, not just in the level of grammar and accuracy, but also in basic journalism such as story content, story structure, tone and style.
3. 7Days
7Days (circulation 65,000) started out as a weekly, and is now a six-daily with no Saturday edition. A free tabloid, it has taken a different, quick-read approach to news, and is often described as a trailblazer, pushing boundaries with certain somewhat controversial stories. Its letters pages are some of the most heated and extensive in the UAE. Very much western-expat targeted, the paper syndicates a great deal from overseas, and has a strong lifestyle element in its content, giving a more magazine feel.
4. Gulf Today
The Gulf Today (circulation 36,000) is a broadsheet, started by Arabic daily Al Khaleej, with a generally quieter profile and smaller circulation than Gulf News or Khaleej Times. It covers local, international and regional news, but is not widely read at least among western expats.
5. Emirates Evening Post
The broadsheet Emirates Evening Post (print-run 28,000) is the youngest of the existing newspapers, published by Press Centre & Art Productions. It is the region's first afternoon daily newspaper, but has suffered from poor distribution. Targeted readership is most probably the UAE's subcontinental expat population.
Labels: media
40 Comments:
QUITE cool u did your homework great.Why does the khaleej times take the '...your favourite no.1 newspaper' tag on their front page if they are really no.2? to be relaged in the near future to 3?
According to an editor i know who works there, the new paper will take a "daring approach" towards current local issues.
Surprisingly, it seems that they will have some space to touch upon what other newspapers don't approach due to self imposed censorship.
I am not sure if that'll work or not, but I guess someone on the paper's board thinks thats the way to go ...
I also know that the new newspaper should be out sometime next week - (19th) If i am not mistaken -
we'll see.
I wonder if the editor of the new paper will be able to publish a letters page that does not include snidey little comments written after letters he doesn't agree with. I generally like the Gulf News but this habit drives me crazy.
hey, sd, can u confirm that as the name? i've always suspected emirates mail was a red herring
Hi Ishtara,
I have an urgent message which I must use your blog to highlight. This is not a joke. A young girl is about to die in Saudi Arabia for killing her attempted rapist. Anyone who reads this please spread the word. Please help her stay alive. She does not have much time.
Clock Is Ticking for Khamis Girl
Arab News
ABHA, 13 September 2005 — Time is running out for the woman known as the Khamis Mushayt Girl as she moves ever closer to execution.The woman was convicted of murdering a man while trying to fend off a forcible rape. Repeated efforts to sway the family of the murder victim to grant her pardon have failed, Al-Madinah newspaper reported.The condemned woman has gained the sympathy of millions of people across the Kingdom. The website covering the case has recorded more than six million hits so far.Maj. Saud Al-Otaibi, director of Abha prison, said the girl has spent six years wondering whether her fate will be pardon or death. Lately she has become isolated, extremely depressed and her physical condition is deteriorating, Al-Otaibi said. An air of optimism for both guards and inmates that the latest efforts might secure her pardon had now turned to one of disappointment as her execution looms.A human rights group interfered on her behalf, but its efforts failed. Although forcible rape is universally condemned, some find it ironic that defending against it apparently results in similar condemnation here.The supervisor of the girl’s website, Waleed Abumelha, said her date of execution has not been set and that efforts to save her will continue to the last minute. The clock is ticking
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=69962&d=13&m=9&y=2005
Please help by sending to any one who can help. She has very little time left
The new paper is already working out its sponsorship deals for local events.
Anonymous - I have read of her terrible plight. The Religious Policeman has also been running much coverage on it.
Knowing how things work here I doubt there is much I can do, but if there are any petitions or anything I would be extremely happy to sign.
Anonymous - there is also this site relating to her case - sadly it's in Arabic so I can't understand it, but perhaps Arab visitors here will?
Perhaps the new paper is a way of reducing advertising costs on Dubai Holding projects. I am sure they have handed over a fair amount of dollars to the the existing papers, this is one way of reducing the costs.
Evening post? Never seen it!
I've seen it twice. Once in the lobby of Emirates Towers, once at a press conference (where I believe a journalist from it had brought an armful along, but I may be wrong).
There have been several points to ponder. First of them is how objective can a newspaper be when its owned by a country leader?
Second is how can we possibly expect the content and layout be better if the new paper's staff is going to consist of people poached from existing publications (i.e. Gulf News and some lifestyle mags)?
Third is if Dubai Holdings has any other objective other than monopolize the market?
Hmmm...I'm sure there are more...
well....I read 7 days when i feel like some 'trashy' reading, although they have some nice business articles and good stock advice. Gulf news, hmmmm, I read that to keep them in business (I like Obaid Al Tayer)..and all the rest are a waste of paper in MHO. I prefer to read the news and some decent well written articles. Letters to the editor are annoying and will only raise your blood pressure. Gossip belongs in glossy magazines. Newspapers should offer us just that - NEWS.
My dear, very 'Aqoulish you know.
By the way, did you get my email?
I did and I replied, but I will forward it to you again.
SD - from my contacts at GN, it appears Emirates Today was started soley to start a 'newspaper war' with the existing broadsheets. The aim was to shake up the status quo, nicking the best journos to create a 'bestof' paper - and furthermore, carve out a slice of this pie for Dubai Holdings, which likes its fingers in all Dubai bakeries.
It is interesting that comments comparing UAE publications with those overseas imply that there is much more freedom of press in democratic countries than actually exists. In our so called democracies most newspaper proprioters are not only affiliated to policial parties but also to big business. Big business is thus controlling the media. This is a sinister trend since we cannot vote for those in control of big business. Product placement and mis-information which aids large conglomerates is becoming an alarming norm in many British publications.
British broadsheets and tabloids are not the standard. In fact, when it comes to objectivity, UK papers have always been at the bottom of the rankings. What the UAE needs is something more akin to The Economist magazine. It has objective news, plus in-depth reports by good journalists who are based all over the world and some excellent writing to top it off.
i think the alternative trash mags are more objective..love them\; OK, Alhan or izit Ahlan!..whatever..then u have the bollywood Masala..very juicy indeed for a hot day in Dubai..im surprise SecretDubai..they are not on your list..come on!
This was just reviewing the newspapers. I will have to do the magazines at a future time!
the papers huh? love them too...especially the thick volumes of classified..properties ads...etc excellent for wrapping! And my laundry man Mohamad just love them too! u know for every shirt washed by him..for 1 dhm..he ironed it as well..and get this...he will fold it like in the departmental store..and with a piece of cut out newspapers..inserted it in between..just like a new shirt! so professional! I wept when i received it for the first time..
i never read any local magazines or newspapers. there is nothing worthwhile in them and most of the stuff in magazines is syndicated from international mags
desert blogger - brilliant! Do go ahead, then we will be able to compare notes.
No - that last one's me - I occasionally cross-post there.
"a Persian water park"
My fking god. How much more witless can Americans get about the rest of the world?
bet the sight of little boys in swimming costumes warmed his pervy cockles..so now Sicko Jacko gets to enjoy this place..can't he just keep away from children for his own good...perhaps Emaar or Nakheel can build him his own little island, and he can play with himself there for the good of all.
Dubai holding, like any other business conglomerate is out to make a profit. If they can convince readers their paper is worthy of picking up at the news stand then I think they have a chance of trickling in more dirhams in that bottomless money pit they're trying to fill. Good luck Dubai holding. Just make sure the web version of your paper is as good or better that Gulf News.
Well, like it or not, the gulf is Persian and not Arabian. It only became Arabian recently and does not pay tribute to the fact that the Persians ruled the gulf long before the Arabs knew anything about anything.
It's very arrogant to think the gulf is 'Arabian'.
Americans are not "witless" about the rest of the world ! They just don't give a flying F#@K about it! Got it SDD ?
They just don't give a flying F#@K about it!
That's even worse. No wonder so many people hate your country.
Well, like it or not, the gulf is Persian and not Arabian.
Regardless of whatever historical name should be used for the body of water that is the Gulf, there is no way you can argue that the UAE should be described as Persian. In terms of its most ancient history, it is Arabian. In terms of its most modern history, it is Arabian.
The water in that park may be from the "Persian" gulf - but it is pretty Arabian-desalinated-treated-chilled ;)
SD,
you are lucky...some pigeon brained twigs from the BIG NATION thought we live in tree houses..
"The story of the Wild Wadi all began with a cool dude called Juha and his brave friend Sindbad..."
Err... maybe the NY times was refering to the park having a Persian theme?!
Err... maybe the NY times was refering to the park having a Persian theme?!
I guess it's possible... we'll be generous and give them the benefit of the doubt this one time. It's usually one of the more informed US papers ;)
Emirates Today is quite a dish..love it..slim and sexy..hope they keep it that way..
At last! Something to line the birdcage with...slim and sexy, eh? My bare hairy bottom! Oh dear, oh dear, where do I begin?
First off, if I hadn't been reading all the hype I would of thought it wuz the Gulf Today tabloid supplement from a year ago...at least their body (text) type would be of a readable size...not 8 point Plantin...
Can you believe it took 53 people to bring out this paragon of journalistic excellence? 7DAYS could probably do it with less than 10...(I'm assuming)...
More observations on yesterday's launch issue:
(Read in tandem with their bold claims on page 22)
Neither fresh, dynamic nor stylish. Appallingly dated and boring standards of design and layout...the copy I have is mostly printed out-of-register, leaving all the colour pics looking blurry and washed out...(what would you expect from Al Bayan Press?)
Certainly not an incentive to change from the mainline broadsheets....as far as "real news" is concerned, it's no better than 7DAYS; but then 7DAYS never claimed or pretended to be an alternative to the broadsheets...at least their type and layout, tho no great shakes, looks slightly more clean and appealing...and it's far more compact than ET..."according to our research," says ET, "broadsheets are dying..." Not if you bring out newspapers like this one, mate...that'll be a long time coming...
I won't talk about the choice of headline story since I've already referred to "real news"...but overall the glazed newsprint and uninspired masthead seem to top off the "ultimate publishing disaster"...
...and they have the unmitigated gall to say "Welcome to the revolution..." We ain neva seen no revolutions in this part of the world, mes cheries...not just yet...
Hey what about Khaleej Times online???...I think it's much better than Gulf news online...atleast it's updated timely and It dosen't have the hick-up's that the paper has!
.....erm, yep...it only gives us the hiccups.....
..tokkin of da great dubai media scene....how much time dya guyz give Emirates Evening Post....shouldn't they be callin da Make a Wish Foundation....with BV gone theyz basickly up da creek....not that havin im around wuz any better....about a month ago (when DSS wuz still on) their front-page main headline for the day wuz--hold yer breath--"Shop Till You Drop"......I mean like nuttin much wuz happnin anywhere else in dis eva-lovin world....what's an evenin paper for after all....
I totally agree elcondo .. i tired to look for something significantly different about ET, nothing... even the paper ET uses is lousy for windows cleaning! :)
What ho? Their website's even better.
http://www.emiratestodayonline.com/
Try gettin past page 1.
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