Founded in 1975, the Qatar News Agency (QNA) is the official state-run news service of the State of Qatar. Over the decades, it has evolved into a multilingual operation, launching Spanish, French, and German-language services in 2022 to bolster its international outreach and align with Qatar’s broader public diplomacy efforts.
Media assets
News agency: QNA
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
QNA was established under Emiri Decree No. 94 of 1975 and remains wholly owned by the State of Qatar. The agency operates under the direct oversight of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, to which it is formally affiliated. The minister retains full regulatory authority over QNA’s internal structure and strategic direction, including its editorial policies.
The Director-General of QNA is appointed by the Emir. In 2021, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani appointed Ahmed Said Jaber Al Rumaihi to the post via Emiri decree. As of mid-2025, Al Rumaihi remains in office, with no publicly reported changes to the agency’s senior leadership.
QNA’s editor-in-chief reports directly to the Minister of Information, reaffirming the agency’s status as an extension of state communication.
Source of funding and budget
QNA is entirely funded through allocations from the state budget, as mandated by the founding Emiri decree. Its financial resources are included in the annual budget of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. While exact figures are not disclosed in public records, this funding model underscores QNA’s dependence on the state apparatus for its operational sustainability.
Editorial independence
QNA functions as an official state mouthpiece, adhering closely to editorial lines set by the government. Critical coverage of Qatari authorities or policies is absent from its reporting, in line with the country’s broader media environment, where freedom of expression remains limited.
There is no statutory safeguard or independent oversight mechanism in place to ensure editorial independence at QNA. The agency’s content is widely understood to reflect government priorities and narratives, rather than offering autonomous journalistic scrutiny.
July 2025