Gulf Publishing and Printing Company runs the Arabic daily newspaper Al Raya (meaning “banner” in Arabic)and the English newspaper Gulf Times. Al Raya was launched in May 1979, and 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. It is a privately held holding.
Source of funding and budget
There is no publicly available information about the Gulf Publishing and Printing Company’s publications. 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
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 rigorous editorial line that is openly pro-government. Any stories 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 or independent assessment/oversight mechanism that would validate the editorial independence of the publications run by the Gulf Publishing and Printing Company.
July 2024