Al-Watan (Qatar)
| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Print, online |
| Owner | Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani |
| Publisher | Dar Al-Watan Printing, Publishing and Distribution Company |
| Founded | 1995 |
Political alignment | Pro-government |
| Language | Arabic |
| Headquarters | Doha |
| Circulation | 15,000 (2008) |
Sister newspapers | Qatar Tribune |
| Website | al-watan |
Al-Watan (Arabic: الوطن, lit. 'The Homeland') is a pro-government Arabic-language daily political newspaper based in Doha, Qatar.[1][2] It is one of the three leading Arabic-language newspapers in the country along with Al Raya and Al Sharq.[3]
Through its publisher, it is majority-owned by former Foreign Minister and Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, a senior member of the Qatari royal family and a cousin of the emir.[4][5] Qatar Tribune is Al-Watan's English-language sister newspaper.[1]
History and circulation
Al-Watan was founded in 1995[5] and was the first newspaper to be launched in Qatar after the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, abolished press censorship.[6] Its parent company is Dar Al Watan Printing, Publishing and Distribution Company. With the publication of the daily the other leading Qatari Arabic paper Al Raya lost its one-third of its circulation.[7] The 2008 circulation of the daily was 15,000.[8]
In 2020, the website Industry Arabic named Al-Watan as the fourth most influential Arabic newspaper in the world.[5]
Ownership
Former Foreign Minister and Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, a senior member of the Qatari royal family and a cousin of the emir, owns half of the newspaper.[5] Qatar Tribune is its English-language sister newspaper.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 "Qatar profile". BBC. 20 February 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- ↑ Amin H (2001). Mass media in the Arab states between diversification and stagnation in Kai Hafez and David L. Paletz (Editors) Mass media, politics, and society in the Middle East. Hampton Press, ISBN 978-1-57273-303-9
- ↑ Barrie Gunter; Roger Dickinson (2013). News Media in the Arab World: A Study of 10 Arab and Muslim Countries. A&C Black. pp. 26–27. ISBN 978-1-4411-0239-3.
- ↑ Dragomir, Marius (2025). "Dar Al-Watan Printing, Publishing and Distribution Company". State Media Monitor. Media and Journalism Research Center. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Ranked: The Most Influential Arabic Newspapers (2020 Edition)". Industry Arabic. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ↑ "Clients". KnowledgeView. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
- ↑ William A. Rugh (2004). Arab Mass Media: Newspapers, Radio, and Television in Arab Politics. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 60. ISBN 978-0-275-98212-6.
- ↑ "Media sustainability index 2008" (PDF). IREX. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
External links
- Al Watan ePaper Archived 20 January 2022 at the Wayback Machine
- Al-Watan (Qatar) via KnowledgeView