Asharq Alawsat
Encyclopedia
Asharq Al-Awsat is an Arabic international
newspaper
headquartered in London
. A pioneer of the "off-shore" model in the Arabic press, the paper is often noted for its distinctive green-tinted pages.
The New York Times in 2005 called Asharq Al-Awsat "one of the oldest and most influential in the region." Although published under the name of a private company, the Saudi Research & Marketing Group, the paper was founded with the approval of the Saudi royal family and government ministers, and is noted for its support of the Saudi government.
Launched in London in 1978, and currently printed in 12 locations internationally, the paper is often billed as "the leading Arab daily newspaper," and calls itself "the premier pan-Arab daily newspaper" based on the fact that past estimates of its circulation have given it the largest circulation of the off-shore Pan-Arab dailies, a category including its chief competitor Al-Hayat. However, reliable estimates are available only from the early 2000s, before rival Al-Hayat launched a massive effort to increase circulation in Saudi Arabia
.
Asharq Al-Awsat covers events through a network of bureaus and correspondents throughout the Arab World
, Europe
, USA and Asia
. The paper also has copyright
syndication
s with the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times
, New York Times and Global Viewpoint, permitting it to publish Arabic translations of columnists like Thomas Friedman and David Ignatius.
The newspaper is owned by Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, a member of the Saudi royal family
.
, who had initially warmed to the thought but then lost his enthusiasm. El-Khazen also gives credit to the then-Saudi ambassador to London and then-deputy minister of information in helping gain Fahid's verbal approval for issuing the newspaper while the prince was on an official visit to England. The story of the paper's founding is a strong indication of the newspaper's close relationship to the Saudi government.
In the face of widespread criticism from contributors and staff toward the Camp David Accords
and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat
, Cairo bureau chief Salah al-Din Hafez resigned. Then, Sadat held a press conference with the new Asharq Al-Awsat bureau chief by his side in which the Egyptian president attacked the newspaper and its stance toward the peace process in general, citing his suspicions of the bureau chief's "high" salary, and accusing Prince Fahd of using the newspaper as a weapon against Egypt and the Egyptian president personally.
Jihad El-Khazen later reminisced about the events, saying: "I think that this press conference was worth a million dollars (in its value at the time) of free publicity for the newspaper, which since became the subject of interest for many foreign governments and the foreign media."
The current editor is Tariq Alhomayed
. Mr. Al Homayed's era has received mixed reviews as his name was associated with much criticism of the Asharq Al-Awsat's performance
.
Media scholar Marc Lynch has called Asharq al-Awsat "the most conservative" of the major pan-Arab papers.
The paper's chief competition in Saudi Arabia are Al-Hayat and Okaz; globally, its chief competition is Al-Hayat, though it is often paired with Al-Quds Al-Arabi
which is considered to be its polar opposite. According to this dichotomy, Asharq Al-Awsat represents the "moderate camp" when compared to the "rejection camp" of Al-Quds Al-Arabi.
International
----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
headquartered in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. A pioneer of the "off-shore" model in the Arabic press, the paper is often noted for its distinctive green-tinted pages.
The New York Times in 2005 called Asharq Al-Awsat "one of the oldest and most influential in the region." Although published under the name of a private company, the Saudi Research & Marketing Group, the paper was founded with the approval of the Saudi royal family and government ministers, and is noted for its support of the Saudi government.
Launched in London in 1978, and currently printed in 12 locations internationally, the paper is often billed as "the leading Arab daily newspaper," and calls itself "the premier pan-Arab daily newspaper" based on the fact that past estimates of its circulation have given it the largest circulation of the off-shore Pan-Arab dailies, a category including its chief competitor Al-Hayat. However, reliable estimates are available only from the early 2000s, before rival Al-Hayat launched a massive effort to increase circulation in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.
Asharq Al-Awsat covers events through a network of bureaus and correspondents throughout the Arab World
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, USA and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. The paper also has copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
syndication
Print syndication
Print syndication distributes news articles, columns, comic strips and other features to newspapers, magazines and websites. They offer reprint rights and grant permissions to other parties for republishing content of which they own/represent copyrights....
s with the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, New York Times and Global Viewpoint, permitting it to publish Arabic translations of columnists like Thomas Friedman and David Ignatius.
The newspaper is owned by Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, a member of the Saudi royal family
House of Saud
The House of Saud , also called the Al Saud, is the ruling royal family of Saudi Arabia and one of the wealthiest and most powerful dynasties in the world. The family holds thousands of members...
.
Founding
The paper's first editor-in-chief Jihad El-Khazen, now a columnist and editor emeritus for the rival pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat, has given credit to Hisham Hafez, with the subsequent support of his brother Mohammed Ali Hafez, for the initial idea of establishing an Arabic-language newspaper in London. Former editor-in-chief Othaman Al-Omeir has likewise given credit to the brothers, Hisham and Mohammad Hafez, for founding and then overseeing the paper. Together with El-Khazen, the brothers set out to prove the value of the idea through a number of trial issues to the then-Crown Prince, later king, Fahd of Saudi ArabiaFahd of Saudi Arabia
Fahd bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, was King of Saudi Arabia from 1982 to 2005...
, who had initially warmed to the thought but then lost his enthusiasm. El-Khazen also gives credit to the then-Saudi ambassador to London and then-deputy minister of information in helping gain Fahid's verbal approval for issuing the newspaper while the prince was on an official visit to England. The story of the paper's founding is a strong indication of the newspaper's close relationship to the Saudi government.
Controversy over the Camp David Accords
After the news of the paper's first big scoop (regarding the formation of the U.S. Central Command for the Middle East), the still new newspaper made its name through the controversy surrounding the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty signed in 1978 at Camp David.In the face of widespread criticism from contributors and staff toward the Camp David Accords
Camp David Accords
The Camp David Accords were signed by Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin on September 17, 1978, following thirteen days of secret negotiations at Camp David. The two framework agreements were signed at the White House, and were witnessed by United States...
and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat
Anwar Sadat
Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat was the third President of Egypt, serving from 15 October 1970 until his assassination by fundamentalist army officers on 6 October 1981...
, Cairo bureau chief Salah al-Din Hafez resigned. Then, Sadat held a press conference with the new Asharq Al-Awsat bureau chief by his side in which the Egyptian president attacked the newspaper and its stance toward the peace process in general, citing his suspicions of the bureau chief's "high" salary, and accusing Prince Fahd of using the newspaper as a weapon against Egypt and the Egyptian president personally.
Jihad El-Khazen later reminisced about the events, saying: "I think that this press conference was worth a million dollars (in its value at the time) of free publicity for the newspaper, which since became the subject of interest for many foreign governments and the foreign media."
Prominent editors
In addition to Jihad El-Khazen, other well-known past editors include Erfan Nizameddine, Othman Al-Omair (founder of Elaph, the first online Arabic newspaper), and Abdel Rahman Al-Rashed (general mananger of Al-Arabiya since April 2004).The current editor is Tariq Alhomayed
Tariq Alhomayed
Tariq Alhomayed is the Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Alawsat, the youngest person to be appointed that position. Alhomyed has been a guest analyst and commentator on numerous news and current affair programs including: the BBC, German TV, Al Arabiya, Al-Hurra, LBC and the acclaimed Imad Live’s...
. Mr. Al Homayed's era has received mixed reviews as his name was associated with much criticism of the Asharq Al-Awsat's performance
Tariq Alhomayed
Tariq Alhomayed is the Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Alawsat, the youngest person to be appointed that position. Alhomyed has been a guest analyst and commentator on numerous news and current affair programs including: the BBC, German TV, Al Arabiya, Al-Hurra, LBC and the acclaimed Imad Live’s...
.
Reputation and competition
Though the newspaper is Saudi-owned, and is considered more pro-Saudi than rival Al-Hayat, Asharq Al-Awsat has billed itself as the "leading international Arabic paper," as it was the first Arabic daily to use satellite transmission for simultaneous printing in a number of sites across the world.Media scholar Marc Lynch has called Asharq al-Awsat "the most conservative" of the major pan-Arab papers.
The paper's chief competition in Saudi Arabia are Al-Hayat and Okaz; globally, its chief competition is Al-Hayat, though it is often paired with Al-Quds Al-Arabi
Al-Quds Al-Arabi
Al-Quds Al-Arabi , is an independent pan-Arab daily newspaper published in London since 1989. The paper is owned by Palestinian expatriates, and edited by Abd al-Bari Atwan who was born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Gaza Strip in 1950. Its motto is . Its circulation is estimated to be...
which is considered to be its polar opposite. According to this dichotomy, Asharq Al-Awsat represents the "moderate camp" when compared to the "rejection camp" of Al-Quds Al-Arabi.