With Britain’s Telegraph Media Group in its sights, the oil-rich emirate of Abu Dhabi is closing in on its most audacious push into English-speaking media since the launch of state-owned daily The National 15 years ago.
Back then sky-high salaries lured senior journalists to what was being touted as “the New York Times of the Middle East”. The publication’s early years gently pushed the traditional boundaries of press freedom in the Gulf, exploring some sensitive subjects avoided by most.
But coverage of a ruling family member accused of torture and Dubai’s debt woes during the global financial crisis triggered backlash with the regime. While the newspaper has since established its reputation as one of the most professionally produced publications in the Middle East — a go-to news source for diplomats and executives — it is seen as a mouthpiece for Abu Dhabi’s worldview.
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