Al Arabiya

Al Arabiya is a Saudi state-owned Arabic news channel that launched on March 3, 2003, from Dubai Media City. It was created as a direct competitor to Al Jazeera, with early funder Middle East News promising a more balanced and less provocative approach. The channel quickly grew into one of the Arab world's most watched news networks, known for its 24-hour coverage of politics, business, and current affairs.

Headquarters moved to Riyadh after MBC Group built a new state-of-the-art facility there, part of a broader push to expand operations inside Saudi Arabia. Al Arabiya maintains bureaus across the MENA region and beyond, with correspondents in Washington, London, and other key cities. Its digital arm, AlArabiya.net, is a pioneer in online Arabic journalism and uses Magnolia DXP to handle heavy traffic and integrate multimedia tools, allowing it to publish content at remarkable speed.

The channel employs roughly 670 people worldwide, with the largest concentration in the UAE (55.8%), followed by Saudi Arabia (20.4%) and Egypt (4.4%). Its workforce grew 9% from 2023 to 2025. Al Arabiya has won multiple journalism awards and is recognized for professional reporting, though it has faced criticism over its editorial stance on Saudi Arabia and its allies. The network also operates Al Hadath, a sister channel focused on breaking news. [edit]

Al Arabiya aims to provide reliable, professional news coverage for the Arab world, focusing on accuracy and balance. It seeks to inform viewers about regional and global events with a tone that is less inflammatory than some competitors, emphasizing business, politics, and current affairs. The channel also strives to be a leading digital news source, offering content in Arabic, English, Persian, and Urdu. [edit]

Al Arabiya was launched on March 3, 2003, from Dubai Media City, with initial funding from Middle East News, a production company headed by Ali al-Hedeithy. The channel was conceived as a more moderate alternative to Al Jazeera, which had dominated Arabic news since its launch in 1996. From the start, Al Arabiya positioned itself as a business-friendly, pro-market news source, often giving more airtime to economic and financial stories than its rivals.

In 2013, MBC Group, which already owned the channel, moved its headquarters to Riyadh as part of a larger Saudi government push to consolidate media operations inside the kingdom. This shift allowed closer ties with Saudi authorities and expanded the channel's resources. The digital platform, AlArabiya.net, launched early and became a trailblazer in online Arabic journalism, integrating video, social media, and interactive features.

Over the years, Al Arabiya has covered major events including the Arab Spring, the Syrian civil war, and the rise of ISIS. It has also faced cyber attacks, leading to investments in secure digital infrastructure. In 2022, the channel refreshed its brand identity for the English-language service, unveiling a new logo and website design as part of its 20th anniversary. The channel continues to expand, with recent hires and new studios in Riyadh and Dubai. [edit]