Abu Dhabi, UAE – Abu Dhabi Media Network is all set to launch an English edition of its existing Al Ittihad Arabic newspaper. The yet-to-be-named daily will be a second English newspaper in the UAE’s capital city besides The National, which is owned by the International Media Investments (IMI).
The announcement of the new English newspaper came on the sidelines of the launch of a new media strategy by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed on Wednesday to enhance the global presence of Abu Dhabi Media Network.
The strategy involves the launch of Al Ittihad News Centre, which will operate as a unified media center across the organization’s various news platforms to provide professional and accurate coverage of local, regional and global developments in different languages. It will also enable specialized round-the-clock news bulletins across finance, business, economic affairs, sports and more, in line with best practices in media reporting.
According to the grapevine among the journalist forums in the UAE, a former senior editor from Dubai-based English daily Gulf News has been given the responsibility to put together the English edition of the Al Ittihad.
During a launch ceremony of the new media strategy held at the Abu Dhabi National Theatre, Sheikh Khaled said it was aimed at enriching the public media experience, producing engaging educational content, and boosting the knowledge economy across various media platforms.
The event was attended by Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the National Media Office.
Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed affirmed the importance placed by UAE leadership on the media sector, underlining the active role it has played in supporting the country’s progress and prosperity over the last 50 years. The Abu Dhabi Crown Prince also highlighted the media sector’s vital role in enhancing community awareness, emphasizing the importance of establishing a strong and creative foundation for the future while keeping pace with the latest technological advancements in the media sector.
The new media strategy also includes content for Zahrat Al Khaleej magazine in both Arabic and English, focusing on the accomplishments of successful women in the UAE and the Arab world. Moreover, the strategy will focus on creating engaging children’s content through Majid magazine and Majid Kids TV, with a focus on Emirati values and encouraging curiosity for learning and science.
The Arabic language Al Ittihad is one of the first daily newspapers in the country and was launched in 1969 – even before the formation of the federation of emirates in 1971, now known as the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Launched in 2008, The National – currently the only English daily from Abu Dhabi – was part of the Al Ittihad media network (Abu Dhabi Media Network), but was relaunched in 2017 after its acquisition in 2016 by a private investment company IMI, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Media Investment Corporation owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the deputy prime minister of the UAE and member of the royal family of Abu Dhabi.