Dubai newspapers and news

Dubai Newspapers and News

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Daily Newspapers in the Dubai and the UAE


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The official news agency in the UAE is the Emirates News Agency or WAM (www.wam.ae or www.wam.org.ae) from the Arabic Wakalat Anba'a Al Emarat. Established in November 1976, news transmission in Arabic started in June 1977, and in English in December 1978. WAM supplies numerous news organisations with text, photo and video feeds of news related to the UAE and the UAE government.

Most locally published newspapers are 2 dhs each, and have been for years. Gulf News Friday edition went up to 3 dhs in about 2005. Other editions of the Gulf News up to 3 dhs from 01 January 2008. The Financial Times (UK) is printed in Dubai and costs 10 dhs.

Local English newspapers published in Dubai and the UAE (website links open in new window)

7 Days (www.7days.ae) - established 2004, free, was published six days a week (not Saturdays) until end 2006, then seven days per week, then back to six days per week as of March 2007. 7 Days usually writes more provocative articles than the other papers in Dubai (and gets its fair share of flak as a result). Tabloid style. Contact Al Sidra Media, PO Box 35207, Dubai, tel +971-4-2831317, fax +971-4-2833142, email letters@7days.ae or distribution@7days.ae.
Emirates Business 24/7 (www.business24-7.ae) - UAE business newspaper launched 09 December 2007 to replace Emirates Today. Website slightly improved from the Emirates Today effort but still user-unfriendly compared to most other newspaper websites. Good coverage of business related news.
Emirates Today (discontinued December 2007) - a bit like 7 Days but much less provocative, and articles sometimes had more depth (or padding). Tabloid style. Irritating website. Managing Editor Eudore Chand. Newspaper replaced by Emirates Business 24/7 from 09 December 2007. Website (www.emiratestodayonline.com) was taken offline, an absurd decision, making their news archive inaccessible.
Financial Times - not a UAE newspaper but since 2003, it has been printed in Dubai. The FT is a well-known UK business newspaper with a focus on UK and international corporate news, but with little content related directly to Dubai and UAE business news. From 29 April 2008 the FT Middle East edition included a page with Middle East related news. Once or twice a week.
Gulf News (www.gulfnews.com) - seems to be the most popular with western expats. Broadsheet. Biggest selection of classifieds - property, cars, jobs. Submit feedback, story ideas, comments to the Citizen Journalism line - phone +971-4-4067666 from 0830-2030 Sat-Thu (started Nov 2006). Editor-in-Chief Abdul Hamid Ahmad. Price 3 dhs from 01 January 2008.
Khaleej Times (www.khaleejtimes.com) - main competitor to the Gulf News, seems to be more popular with the Asian community. Relatively good business section. Broadsheet.
The Al Ain Times (www.alaintimesuae.com) - first issue September 2006, local weekly English and Arabic newspaper for Al Ain residents. Published on Saturdays by Alpha Beta Publishers, PO Box 15229, Al Ain, UAE. Tel +971-3-7671995. Website www.alaintimes.ae and tel +971-3-7644102 no longer valid.
The Dubai Enquirer (www.dubaienquirer.com) - dry sarcastic Dubai news. Not a print newspaper but a website only, and it's all complete nonsense (see their disclaimer). Updated monthly.
The Emirates Evening Post (discontinued April 2007) - afternoon/evenings, website links to PDF files of each page, tel +971-4-3405566. Publisher Press Centre and Art Productions LLC, Sharjah. Website www.eveningpost.ae (no longer in operation).
The Gulf Today (www.godubai.com/gulftoday/) - daily broadsheet similar to the others, published by Dar Al Khaleej in Sharjah - also publish the Arabic newspaper Al Khaleej. First published in 1996.
The National (www.thenational.ae) - Abu Dhabi based broadsheet with lots of pages, lots of journalists, and lots of money. Owned by the Abu Dhabi government, published by Abu Dhabi Media Company, editor-in-chief is Martin Newland. Launched 17 April 2008 with the expectation of not suffering from government, er, self-censorship, as other newspapers in the region allegedly do. Except when the boss says "Understand now that we are not here to fight for press freedom." Allegedly. Or something like that. A good read nevertheless.
Xpress (www.xpress4me.com) - weekly tabloid kicked off in March 2007. Published by Al Nisr Media (they publish the daily Gulf News). Free? In some locations at least. Website updated daily?

Arabic newspapers published in Dubai and the UAE

Akhbar Al Arab (www.akhbaralarab.ae) - displays PDF of front page in frame on home page. Strange.
Al Bayan (www.albayan.ae) - tel +971-4-3444400. Editor-in-Chief Dhae'en Shaheen.
Al Emarat Al Youm, Editor-in-Chief Sami Al Riyami
Al Ittihad (www.alittihad.ae). Editor-in-Chief Rashid Al Uraimi.
Al Khaleej (www.alkhaleej.ae) - not the same as the Khaleej Times. Also publishes The Gulf Today. Tel 8006888 (toll free in UAE), +971-4-2625304 in Dubai, or +971-6-5777777 in Sharjah. Started 1970? Editor-in-Chief is Habib Al Sayegh

Other newspapers in Dubai

There's a good range of international newspapers - most UK dailies are available and a selection from many other countries - Spinneys and Carrefour supermarkets have a good choice. The website todaily.com gives details of how you can get your favorite international newspaper delivered.

Prices are steep though - 2 to 4 times what they cost in the country of origin.

Letters to the Editor

Seems to be a popular source of conversation amongst expats - most of whom probably look at the letters page before reading anything else in a Dubai newspaper. The Gulf News was the most talked about, at least until 7 Days came along and introduced a whole new level of eyebrow-raising letter writing - there are rumours that some of them are written in-house.

Generally Letters to the Editor appear to deal with the same subjects repeatedly. The major topics are Traffic in Dubai, Rental Costs for Accommodation, and Lost or Found Mobile Phones in Taxis. There's a minor sub-cycle something like Pet Shops in Satwa, Cricket, Driving Standards, Cricket again, Mobile Phones in Cinemas, Dubai Zoo, more about Cricket, Weight of School Bags, School Buses with no A/C, and occasionally a political rant about something to do with a googly interfering with a silly mid-off.

Gulf News Reader's Club

Readers can submit articles for publication. Send application to readers@gulfnews.com.
Established July 2006 with six members, up to about 50 members by Nov 2006.
A bit like letters to the editor but you can send in a longer diatribe.

This information last updated Sunday 11-May-2008

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