Gulf Publishing and Printing Company runs the Arabic daily newspaper Al Raya (meaning “banner” in Arabic) and Gulf Times, an English newspaper. Al Raya was launched in May 1979. The Gulf Times was founded in 1978.
Media assets
Publishing: Al Raya, Gulf Times
State Media Matrix Typology: Captured Private Media (CaPr)
Ownership and governance
Gulf Publishing and Printing Company is owned by Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah, a former deputy prime minister and former head of the Emir’s court. The company operates as a privately held holding.
Source of funding and budget
There is no publicly available information about the publications of the Gulf Publishing and Printing Company. The company generates revenues from ad sales, 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, Gulf Publishing and Printing Company is perceived as a pro-government publisher. Its publications never criticize the authorities and follow a very strict editorial line that is openly pro-government. Any stories that are not in line with the government’s requests are immediately binned. Al Raya, for example, regularly reports on activities and receptions of the ruling Al Thani family.
There is no domestic statute and no independent assessment/oversight mechanism that would validate the independence of Gulf Publishing and Printing Company.
August 2023