The National makes UAE debut

Abu Dhabi’s first English-language daily The National hits UAE newsstands on Thursday, as speculation grows over its ambitions to bring new standards of journalism to the region.

Described by editor-in-chief Martin Newland as the country’s “first truly quality national and international newspaper,” the broadsheet launches with a 200-strong team of locally and internationally recruited journalists, with around 30 foreign correspondents.

Available throughout the UAE and on flights in the region, it will be printed six days a week and feature 80 pages of national and international news.

The title is wholly owned by the Abu Dhabi Media Company, and is backed by the $850 million Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the world’s biggest sovereign wealth fund.

Touting itself as the new face of journalism in the UAE, the newspaper aims to bring higher standards of reporting to the country, however observers say it is likely to face an uphill struggle in terms of press freedom.

“There’s going to be a learning process by both the paper and the government,” an unnamed media observer told the UK’s Financial Times on Wednesday.

“Both sides are aware that there will be areas that will be ticklish. They have to build trust with each other.”

The newspaper will also have to deal with advertisers who threaten to withdraw business over critical articles, the source continued.

“This will be one of the interesting things to watch: how advertisers learn that just because they advertise, they are not immune to criticism,” the source said.

Newland, former editor of the UK’s Daily Telegraph, said his first priority, however, was to “create a quality daily that is very good in journalistic terms. Will I have problems with censorship? To be honest, I don’t know, and I suppose I’ll be finding out” he said prior to the launch.

The new daily will compete with English-language titles including Gulf News, Khaleej Times and Emirates Business 24/7. Newland told ArabianBusiness.com last month there was room in the market for a new title, and that a battle for readers and ad revenues was not likely.