Al Araby

Al Araby Television Network is a Qatar-based Arabic-language media network owned by Fadaat Media. Its principal broadcast brands are Al Araby TV, a general-interest channel with a strong emphasis on news and current affairs, and Al Araby 2, a channel oriented more toward culture, entertainment, music, and lifestyle programming. The network also operates digital projects and online video properties, including Ana Al Araby and Al Araby Tube, extending its programming beyond conventional satellite television. The network began its trial broadcast from London on 25 January 2015. Its launch placed it within a competitive field of Arabic-language broadcasters serving audiences across the Middle East, North Africa, and the wider Arab diaspora. Al Araby developed a programming mix that combines daily news bulletins, political discussion, documentaries, investigative and explanatory formats, social-issue coverage, satire, music, and cultural programming. Its editorial output has frequently focused on political and social change in Arab societies, including the consequences of the Arab Spring, the Syrian conflict, and developments in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Rather than operating only as a conventional rolling-news service, the network has built a broad general television identity. Programs such as Al Araby Today, The Story Continues, The Last, In Another Narrative, Behind the Scenes, Polygraph, and The Disappeared use interviews, analysis, documentary evidence, and fact-checking to interpret regional events. Other programs provide a cultural or entertainment proposition: Remix presented contemporary reworkings of Arab folk music, Tarab with Marwan Khoury focuses on classic Arabic song, and Al Araby 2 carries programs such as Ladies and Gentlemen. Joe Show, hosted by Youssef Hussein, gives the network a prominent political-satire format, while Zool Cafe addresses Sudanese social and political issues. The network has maintained a distributed reporting structure, with bureaus and correspondents in Arab capitals and other regional and international locations. Reference material describes 11 bureaus and correspondents working across more than 30 cities, supporting coverage from locations including Palestine, Lebanon, Tunisia, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Algeria, Jordan, Pakistan, the United States, Russia, and Turkey. The organization has also been described as employing more than 400 media staff, although the precise current staffing level is not established here. Al Araby's institutional base changed significantly after the network announced a move from London to Qatar. Operations were relocated to a purpose-built headquarters in Lusail City, north of Doha, and broadcasting from the new location began on 30 August 2022. The move was supported by the Alaraby on Arab Ground campaign and was promoted extensively through social media. The relocation strengthened the network's Qatar-based identity while preserving its international reporting footprint. Digital publishing is an important part of the brand's present-day activity. The official Al Araby website was launched on 25 January 2021, providing a dedicated online outlet for articles, live coverage, programs, and video. The network's relationship to the wider Fadaat Media portfolio also places it alongside The New Arab, an English-language digital news publication, although the television network and that publication remain distinct editorial products. Al Araby continues to position itself as a pan-Arab broadcaster combining regional reporting with cultural and entertainment programming, distributed through television and digital channels.

Al Araby Television Network was established in 2015 as an Arabic-language television operation based in London and owned by Fadaat Media. Its trial broadcast began on 25 January 2015. From the outset, the network sought to combine general television programming with news and current affairs, addressing political developments, social questions, culture, and entertainment for audiences across the Arab world and the diaspora. The network's editorial identity developed around field reporting and analysis of major regional transformations. Its coverage addressed the aftermath of the Arab Spring, political change in Arab societies, the Syrian conflict, and wider humanitarian and geopolitical crises. Alongside news programs, Al Araby built a schedule of interview formats, documentaries, explanatory programs, cultural series, music shows, and political satire. This mixed schedule differentiated it from broadcasters focused solely on continuous news. The satirical program Joe Show became one of the network's recognizable formats, while Remix and Tarab with Marwan Khoury represented its music and cultural output. Leadership changed during the network's early development. Islam Lotfy served as the founding executive director in 2015. Abbas Nasser became executive director in March 2017 and led the organization during a period of expansion in programming and reporting. In 2022, Abbad Yahya became general manager and executive director. The network has also operated through a dispersed reporting structure, with bureaus and correspondents across the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, North America, and other regions. Reference material describes 11 bureaus and a correspondent network covering more than 30 cities. In 2019, journalists working for Al Araby were reported to have been targeted by hackers affiliated with Project Raven, an operation associated in reporting with efforts to monitor or target media figures viewed as sympathetic to Qatar. This incident reflected the political sensitivity surrounding Arab media organizations and the regional disputes in which broadcasters can become targets. Digital expansion became more visible in 2021, when Al Araby launched its official website. The website provided a direct online home for news, program information, video, and live content. The network also developed digital projects such as Ana Al Araby and Al Araby Tube, extending its reach to online audiences and platform-based video consumption. A major institutional turning point came with the relocation of the headquarters from London to Qatar. The move was announced in 2021 and publicly promoted in the weeks before the transfer. On 30 August 2022, the network began broadcasting from its new headquarters in Lusail City, north of Doha. The relocation was associated with the Alaraby on Arab Ground campaign and with the development of a technologically advanced broadcast facility. Regional centers and reporting operations continued to support coverage outside Qatar. The network expanded its channel portfolio with the launch of Al Araby 2 on 2 January 2022. Al Araby 2 was designed around culture, entertainment, and lifestyle-oriented content, complementing the more news-led identity of Al Araby TV. Programs on the two channels have included daily political discussions, documentaries, rumor and misinformation analysis, historical programming, music performances, and social-issue formats. Since 2023, Al Araby has provided on-ground coverage of the Gaza war and related Israeli-Palestinian developments. Its reporting has attracted scrutiny in connection with differing descriptions of the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion in Arabic- and English-language coverage associated with the broader media portfolio. The episode illustrates the editorial and political pressures surrounding coverage of the conflict, although the available material does not establish a formal legal finding against the network. Al Araby remains an active Qatar-based pan-Arab television and digital media network. Its present model combines satellite and broadcast television, web publishing, streaming, original programs, regional bureaus, and internationally distributed reporting. The brand's core proposition is a broad Arabic-language service that links current affairs and political analysis with cultural and entertainment programming.

1. 2022Al Araby 2 launches

   A companion channel focused on culture and entertainment begins broadcasting on 2 January.

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2. 2022Broadcasting relocates to Lusail

   The network starts broadcasting from its new Lusail City headquarters on 30 August.

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3. 2021Official website launches

   The network launches its official online platform, strengthening its digital publishing and video distribution.

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4. 2017Abbas Nasser becomes executive director

   Abbas Nasser assumes executive leadership of the network.

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5. 2016Remix premieres

   Hamza Namira launches Remix, a music series built around contemporary reworkings of Arab folk repertoires and collaborative performances.

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6. 2015Trial broadcast begins in London

   Al Araby Television Network begins its trial broadcast from London on 25 January.

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A pan-Arab general television network combining news and political analysis with culture, entertainment, documentary storytelling, and digital-first formats. Its programming emphasizes Arabic-language regional coverage, social and political issues, and broad audience engagement rather than a narrowly defined rolling-news proposition.

• Al Araby TVArabic general television channel2015

  The network's principal Arabic-language channel, combining news, current affairs, political discussion, documentaries, cultural programming, entertainment, and satire. Its output is oriented toward Arab and international audiences seeking reporting and analysis on regional and global developments.

• Al Araby 2Culture and entertainment television channel2022

  A companion channel launched in 2022 with a stronger emphasis on culture, music, entertainment, lifestyle, and general-interest programming. It broadens the network's portfolio beyond the news and current-affairs orientation of Al Araby TV.

• Al Araby digital projectsDigital media and video2021

  The network's online projects include Ana Al Araby, Al Araby Tube, and the official website. These properties provide digital video, online articles, program material, and streaming-oriented content for audiences using web and social platforms.

• Joe ShowPolitical satire television program

  Hosted by Egyptian comedian Youssef Hussein, Joe Show examines political and media developments in Egypt and the wider Arab world through satire and commentary. The format is structured in segments that move from Egyptian affairs to broader regional issues.

• RemixMusic television series2016

  Presented by Hamza Namira, Remix explores Arab folk music from different countries and reworks selected songs with contemporary arrangements and guest artists. Episodes generally conclude with a collaborative performance by Namira and accompanying musicians or vocalists.

• Tarab with Marwan KhouryArabic music program

  A music program hosted by Lebanese singer, songwriter, composer, and arranger Marwan Khoury. The show presents classic Arabic songs and uses performance and conversation to explore the region's musical heritage.

• PolygraphMisinformation and fact-checking program

  A weekly program examining rumors and disputed claims circulating through media outlets and social platforms. Its format is intended to test and contextualize prominent stories and misinformation affecting Arab audiences.

• 2023Updated visual identity campaign

  International digital and television audiences

  A visual-identity refresh associated with the network's television and digital presentation, including video editing, broadcast design, and related brand communications.

  Outcome. The work received recognition in several design and digital-award programs, including Webby, Hermes Creative, A'Design, and Telly award references.

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• 2022Alaraby on Arab Ground

  Pan-Arab digital and television audiences

  A campaign marking and promoting the network's move from London to its new headquarters in Lusail City, Qatar. It used television and social media to present the relocation as a new phase for the network's regional broadcasting identity.

  Outcome. The campaign received recognition for television campaign engagement on social media, according to the reference material.

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• 2022Relocate headquarters from London to QatarStrategy

  The network had operated from London since its launch and announced a strategic move to Qatar, where it developed a new headquarters in Lusail City.

  What changed. Al Araby transferred its principal operations and began broadcasting from Lusail on 30 August 2022.

  Aftermath. The relocation established Qatar as the network's main operating base while its international bureaus and correspondent network continued supporting coverage.

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• 2022Launch Al Araby 2Product launch

  The network sought to broaden its television portfolio beyond the news and current-affairs focus of Al Araby TV.

  What changed. Al Araby 2 launched on 2 January as a channel centered on cultural and entertainment programming.

  Aftermath. The second channel gave the network a more differentiated offering across culture, music, entertainment, and general-interest content.

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• 2023Scrutiny over coverage of the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosionControversy

  Al Araby and the wider Fadaat-linked media portfolio faced criticism over differing Arabic- and English-language descriptions of responsibility for the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion during the Gaza war. The available reference describes the dispute but does not establish a final legal determination against the network.

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• 2019Journalists targeted in Project Raven-linked hackingControversy

  Al Araby journalists were reported to have been targeted by hackers affiliated with Project Raven, an operation described as targeting media figures regarded by the UAE as supportive of Qatar.

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• 2024Al Araby receives recognition for digital, documentary, and visual-identity work

  Reference material records several 2024 honors, including recognition for digital live streaming, a Shorty Awards distinction, and a Silver Award at the Arab Radio and Television Festival.

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• 2023Al Araby covers the Gaza war with on-ground reporting

  The network expanded its field coverage of the Gaza war and related Israeli-Palestinian developments through reporting from the region.

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• 2022Al Araby 2 launches

  The network launched Al Araby 2 as a cultural and entertainment-focused companion channel.

  Product launch
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• 2022Al Araby completes relocation to Lusail

  Broadcast operations began from the network's new headquarters in Lusail City on 30 August, completing the move from London to Qatar.

  Other
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• 2021Al Araby launches official website

  The network introduced its official website, expanding its digital publishing, streaming, and online video presence.

  Product launch
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• 2021Al Araby announces move of headquarters to Qatar

  The network announced that its principal headquarters would move from London to Qatar, a transition that was later completed in Lusail City.

  Other
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• 2017Abbas Nasser appointed executive director

  Lebanese journalist Abbas Nasser took over the network's executive leadership after previously working as a presenter at Al Jazeera.

  Leadership change
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• 2015Al Araby begins trial broadcasting from London

  The network launched its trial television broadcast from London, marking the beginning of Al Araby's broadcast operation.

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1. Al Araby Television Network
2. Al Araby official website