Dar Al Sharq is the publisher of Al Sharq (meaning “Orient” in Arabic), which is an Arabic daily newspaper whose history goes back to 1987, Al Arab, a newspaper acquired in 2020, and The Peninsula, an English daily newspaper that was established in 1996. The company also offers printing and media distribution services.
Media assets
Publishing: Al Sharq, Al Arab, Lusail, The Peninsula
State Media Matrix Typology: Captured Private Media (CaPr)
Ownership and governance
Dar Al Sharq is privately held and owned by Khalid bin Thani bin Abdullah Al Thani, a member of the Thani ruling family. Khalid Thani A. Al Thani has investments in various industries, including banking, real estate, insurance, financial securities, healthcare, telecommunications, media, information technology, and travel industries.
Source of funding and budget
There is no publicly available financial information about the publications of Dar Al Sharq. The company generates revenues from ad sales but also receives funds from the government. It is unclear, though, what percentage of the publisher’s annual budget comes from the government.
Editorial independence
Because of its ownership links with the ruling family in Qatar, Dar Al Sharq is known for its pro-government coverage. Its publications never criticize the authorities and follow a very strict editorial line in favor of the government. The group’s publications routinely devote most of their space to reporting on the activities of the ruling Al Thani family.
There is no domestic statute or independent assessment/oversight mechanism that would validate the editorial independence of Dar Al Sharq’s media outlets.
July 2024