Dar Al-Watan is the publisher of Al-Watan (meaning “homeland” in Arabic), a daily morning political newspaper in Arabic, and Qatar Tribune, an English newspaper, both based in Doha. Al-Watan was founded in 1995 as the first newspaper launched in Qatar after the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani abolished formal press censorship. Qatar Tribune was launched in 2006.
Media assets
Publishing: Al Watan, Qatar Tribune
State Media Matrix Typology: Captured Private (CaPr)
Ownership and governance
Dar Al-Watan is majority owned by Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, a member of the ruling family (and cousin of the emir). The company is registered as a private corporation.
Source of funding and budget
There is no publicly available information about Dar Al-Watan publisher. The company generates revenues through sales of ads, but also receives funds from the government. It is not clear though what percentage of the publisher’s annual budget comes from the government.
Editorial independence
Mainly because of its ownership links with the ruling family in Qatar, Dar Al-Watan is perceived as a pro-government publisher. Its publications never criticize the authorities. They are routinely referred to as being editorially pro-government.
There is no domestic statute and no independent assessment/oversight mechanism that would validate the independence of Dar Al-Watan.
August 2023