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Outlet profile

Gulf News

Emirati, privately owned and aligned with UAE government positions

Owned byOwned by Al Nisr Publishing, a subsidiary of the Al Tayer Group, which is chaired by Obaid Al Tayer, a former UAE finance minister. Al Nisr was formed in 1984 by three UAE businessmen: Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Abdullah Al Rostamani and Juma Al Majid.
FundingMainly advertising and some subscriptions and digital revenue, backed by a large private business group. It is not a state-budget outlet, but it operates in a country with no independent press tradition and close ties between business and government.
On the administrationmostly neutral

Background

Gulf News was founded on 30 September 1978 by UAE businessman Abdullah Abulhoul and was launched by Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, then Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Early on it struggled, with a circulation of about 3,000 and several ownership changes, and it came close to closing. In November 1984 three UAE businessmen bought it and formed Al Nisr Publishing, and the paper was relaunched on 10 December 1985. It grew into one of the UAE's best-known English-language dailies, serving the country's large expatriate readership. It has since expanded online and reduced print output, including ending weekend print editions. Like other UAE media, it operates under the country's media and cybercrime laws, which restrict criticism of the government and rulers, so its editorial line is generally supportive of national policy. Its strengths are local news, business, and regional coverage. For U.S. politics it relies heavily on wire services. With the UAE closely engaged with Washington on the Iran conflict, Gulf security, and technology deals, Gulf News coverage of the administration is mainly practical and policy-focused rather than ideological. This characterization rests on limited direct review of its recent Trump coverage.

Sources

  1. Gulf News (Wikipedia)
  2. History of Gulf News
  3. Gulf News - Bias and Credibility (Media Bias/Fact Check)
  4. Al Nisr Publishing to stop printing Gulf News on weekends (Arabian Business)
  5. Gulf News prepares to mark four decades as a regional media leader

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

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