Al Arabiya

Al-Arabiya reporter in Buenos Aires.

Al-Arabiya (Arabic: قناة العربية‎ qanát al arabýa) is a Arabic-language television channel that broadcasts 24-hour news from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was established on March 3, 2003, being owned by the Middle East Broadcasting Center (MBC) television network, and other Arab investors. Al-Arabiya, like its competitor Al-Jazeera, occasionally issues video statements from various militant organizations.

Conflict coverage

The chain competes directly with Al-Jazeera and, like Al-Jazeera, has dealt intensely with the conflicts that arose in different countries of the Arab world between the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011 (Egyptian Revolution, Tunisian Revolution, etc).

During the US occupation of Iraq, his Baghdad office was several times closed by the Paul Bremer administration. In 2009, the Iranian authorities temporarily closed Al-Arabiya's Tehran bureau when it was covering post-election protests by supporters of reformist Mir Hossein Mousavi.

Criticism and controversies

The chain maintains an editorial line balanced between pro-Western and pan-Arab visions. However, it has received criticism in the Arab world for being "pro-American." It is also questioned for being critical of many governments in the Middle East but complacent with the rulers of Saudi Arabia, the country where the parent company is located. It is also noted that it is censored by the regime and that a documentary on the Saudi royal family was canceled on the direct orders of King Abdullah.