Established in 1997, Oman News Agency (ONA) is the official news agency of the government of Oman. It produces news in English and Arabic.
Media assets
News agency: ONA
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
ONA was established as a state-owned news agency through Royal Decree No. 39/1996. In 1997, it became part of OEPPA as stipulated in Royal Decree No. 43 of 1997. A later decree, No 75/2006, transferred ONA to the Ministry of Information, which now makes all the decisions regarding ONA’s activity and management.
Source of funding and budget
ONA is funded through a state subsidy allocated to the agency via the Ministry of Information, according to journalists and experts who have followed Oman in recent years interviewed for this report in May 2024.
Editorial independence
ONA operates under strict editorial rules that prohibit criticism of the authorities. Its mission is to produce news about Oman and promote the policies and viewpoints of the country’s leadership.
No domestic statute and no independent assessment/oversight mechanism have been identified that would validate ONA’s independence.
July 2024