Pressure of Truth
Exposing the spin on all sides of the news.
Outlet profile

Al Arabiya English

Saudi state-aligned (Gulf Arab, pro-Riyadh)

Owned byThe English-language arm of the Al Arabiya News Channel, which belongs to MBC Group. Saudi businessman Waleed bin Ibrahim Al Ibrahim founded MBC Group in 1991. Reports say Saudi Arabia's state Public Investment Fund took a majority stake (about 60%) after 2018, leaving Al Ibrahim with a minority share. MBC is not formally a government agency, and exact stakes are not fully public.
FundingMainly advertising and commercial revenue from MBC Group, which is majority controlled by Saudi state-linked capital. Public detail on how its budget is subsidized is limited. Its editorial independence from Riyadh is widely questioned.
On the administrationmostly neutral

Background

MBC Group was founded in London in 1991 and was the first major private Arabic satellite broadcaster. Al Arabiya launched in 2003, based in Dubai, and is widely described as a Saudi-backed counterweight to Qatar-funded Al Jazeera. The English website followed to reach international and Western audiences. In 2018, after the Saudi crackdown on elite figures, reports said the Saudi state took a majority stake in MBC, tightening the link between the group and the government. Critics and press-freedom analysts say the outlet generally follows Saudi foreign-policy positions. It is typically hostile to Iran and its allies, supportive of Saudi leadership, and cautious or silent on topics embarrassing to the kingdom. Supporters say it provides professional news and gives Gulf officials a direct line to English-speaking readers. In 2026 it has covered the Trump administration heavily, focusing on Iran, Middle East tensions, and US-Saudi defense and nuclear cooperation. Coverage is largely news-driven and official-source-heavy, with commentary that tends to match Saudi interests rather than a US partisan line.

Sources

  1. Al Arabiya English (Wikipedia)
  2. Al Arabiya (Wikipedia)
  3. MBC Group (Wikipedia)
  4. Al Arabiya - Bias and Credibility (Media Bias/Fact Check)
  5. Trump approves nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia (Al Arabiya English)
  6. Coming days critical for Trump as Middle East tensions rise (Al Arabiya English)

Profile compiled 2026-10-09; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

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