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| Al Riyadh (newspaper) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Al Riyadh |
| Type | Daily newspaper |
| Format | Broadsheet |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Owner | Riyadh Publishing and Printing Company |
| Language | Arabic |
| Headquarters | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| Political | Conservative |
Al Riyadh (newspaper) is a Saudi Arabian Arabic-language daily broadsheet published in Riyadh. The paper is one of the leading publications in Saudi Arabia alongside Al Jazirah (Saudi newspaper), Okaz, Al-Watan (Saudi newspaper), and Asharq Al-Awsat, and it serves as a prominent voice within the Saudi media landscape, frequently cited by regional outlets such as Al Arabiya, Al Jazeera, Gulf News, and The National (Abu Dhabi). Its readership includes officials from institutions like the Saudi Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Interior (Saudi Arabia), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Saudi Arabia), and business leaders connected to conglomerates such as Saudi Aramco, SABIC, Al Rajhi Bank, and Saudi Basic Industries Corporation.
Al Riyadh was established during the reign of King Faisal in 1965 amid a period marked by regional developments like the Arab Cold War, the aftermath of the Suez Crisis, and the rise of oil diplomacy epitomized by OPEC. Early years of the paper saw coverage of events including the Six-Day War, the Yom Kippur War, and Saudi diplomatic initiatives with partners such as United States, United Kingdom, France, and Egypt. Through the 1970s and 1980s Al Riyadh reported on issues tied to organizations like Arab League, Gulf Cooperation Council, United Nations, and personalities such as King Khalid, King Fahd, Crown Prince Abdullah, and Saudi technocrats associated with development projects funded by World Bank and International Monetary Fund. During the 1990s the newspaper navigated reporting around the Gulf War (1990–1991), the Osama bin Laden phenomenon, and Saudi domestic reforms linked to figures like Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz and Prince Nayef. In the 2000s and 2010s Al Riyadh covered events involving King Abdullah, King Salman, Vision 2030 initiatives promoted by Mohammed bin Salman, regional crises such as the Arab Spring, the Syrian Civil War, and the Yemen Civil War.
The paper is published by Riyadh Publishing and Printing Company, a media group associated with businessmen and families known in Saudi circles alongside entities like Saudi Research and Marketing Group, MBC Group, SRMG, and publishing houses such as Dar Al-Hilal. Executive leadership over time has included editors linked to institutions like King Abdulaziz University, King Saud University, and figures who have interacted with ministries including Ministry of Media (Saudi Arabia), think tanks such as King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, and international forums like the World Economic Forum. Ownership structures reflect ties to capital players connected with Public Investment Fund (Saudi Arabia), private investors, and commercial partners from cities including Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and Mecca.
Al Riyadh's editorial line is often described as conservative and pro-establishment, aligning with policies from the Saudi monarchy and perspectives advanced by institutions like the Council of Senior Scholars and state communications associated with Saudi Vision 2030. Coverage mixes reporting on foreign affairs concerning Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Egypt with domestic reporting on energy policy tied to Saudi Aramco, economic diversification linked to Vision 2030, and cultural topics involving the General Entertainment Authority (Saudi Arabia) and the Ministry of Culture (Saudi Arabia). The paper publishes commentary by intellectuals and officials who have affiliations with universities such as King Abdulaziz University, King Saud University, American University of Beirut, and international research centers like Brookings Institution and Chatham House.
Al Riyadh circulates primarily in Saudi Arabia with distribution networks across provinces including Riyadh Province, Makkah Province, Eastern Province (Saudi Arabia), and cities such as Jeddah, Dammam, Medina, and Abha. Its print circulation historically competed with titles like Okaz and Al Watan (Kuwaiti newspaper), and it is sold at newsstands, airline lounges for carriers like Saudia, and hotels frequented by diplomats from missions including Embassy of the United States, Riyadh and Embassy of the United Kingdom, Riyadh. Circulation figures have been tracked alongside metrics used by regional audit bureaus and compared with pan-Arab publications such as Asharq Al-Awsat and Al Hayat.
The newspaper maintains an online Arabic portal that publishes articles, editorials, and multimedia, competing digitally with platforms such as Al Arabiya English, Arab News, Middle East Eye, and The National (UAE). It leverages social media channels including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram to reach audiences in the Gulf Cooperation Council and diasporas in United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. Digital strategy aligns with trends in digital transformation promoted by entities like Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (Saudi Arabia), tech firms such as STC (Saudi company), and regional streaming initiatives tied to media conglomerates like MBC Group.
Over decades Al Riyadh has featured columnists, analysts, and cultural critics who are also affiliated with institutions such as King Saud University, Qatar University, American University of Cairo, and think tanks including Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Atlantic Council. Contributors have included figures linked to diplomacy like former ambassadors, economists associated with International Monetary Fund missions, and writers who also publish in outlets such as Al-Quds Al-Arabi, Asharq Al-Awsat, and Al-Monitor.
The paper has faced criticism related to coverage of sensitive topics involving Iran–Saudi Arabia relations, the Jamala al-Zaidi-era controversies in regional reporting, and editorial decisions during events such as the Arab Spring and the Khashoggi affair. Critics from regional media watchdogs and international organizations including Reporters Without Borders and Human Rights Watch have at times scrutinized press freedoms, journalistic standards, and self-censorship practices affecting outlets across the Middle East.
Category:Newspapers published in Saudi Arabia