Which Newspaper Do You Read?

Topic locked
  • Reply
Which newspaper do you read? Oct 13, 2009
I've only just arrived and while I have sampled most of the local press haven't yet sampled enough to have an opinion. Which of the news organizations do you find meet your needs for covering local news?

RAKman
Dubai Forum User
Posts: 20

  • Reply
Oct 13, 2009
English: The National (by far, the best english newspaper in the middle east)

Arabic: Khaleej (or Emarat Al Youm for more local insight)
monymoe
Dubai Forums Enthusiast
Posts: 67

  • Reply
Oct 13, 2009
The National and 7 Days - the others are all governmentally controlled, so have limited press freedom on what they will print.
Chocoholic
Miss DubaiForums 2005
User avatar
Posts: 12829

  • Reply
Oct 13, 2009
I thought The National is subsidized by the AD govt.
RAKman
Dubai Forum User
Posts: 20

  • Reply
Oct 13, 2009
It still manages to get away with alot of things that you won't find in the broadsheets.
Chocoholic
Miss DubaiForums 2005
User avatar
Posts: 12829

  • Reply
Oct 13, 2009
I read the GN. Am stuck with it cuz I subscribed. Don't you make the same mistake!
Misery Called Life
Dubai Forums Zealot
User avatar
Posts: 3033

  • Reply
Oct 13, 2009
Misery Called Life wrote:I read the GN. Am stuck with it cuz I subscribed. Don't you make the same mistake!


You actually sbscribed to that heap of garbabe? Yikes! Can you not unsubscribe? Honestly you buy GN and thrw half it in the bin on the spot.
Chocoholic
Miss DubaiForums 2005
User avatar
Posts: 12829

  • Reply
Oct 13, 2009
The National is owned by the AD govt and mostly run by Americans
desertdudeshj
UAE, Dubai Forums Lord of the posts
User avatar
Posts: 6258

  • Reply
Oct 13, 2009
It's a great little paper. I can't get it, so normally read it online.
Chocoholic
Miss DubaiForums 2005
User avatar
Posts: 12829

  • Reply
Oct 13, 2009
desertdudeshj wrote:The National is owned by the AD govt and mostly run by Americans


Canadians actually
the big boss in the national worked for a canadian newspaper called National Post. he came here and brought along with him quite a few of his former staff.

its a very well run newspaper mind you, and they do touch on things that are not common in the UAE media.
monymoe
Dubai Forums Enthusiast
Posts: 67

  • Reply
Oct 13, 2009
And interstingly half the guys responsible for 7 Days now work for the National aswell!
Chocoholic
Miss DubaiForums 2005
User avatar
Posts: 12829

  • Reply
Oct 13, 2009
Yes I have a friend who writes for them and I always get to hear how organised and well run they are. Huge finacial backing from the govt and lot of money spent of offices and snazzy looking new rooms etc etc and not to mention how much they get paid ! I also took one of their journalist and photographer into the deserts of Liwa this Jan

Think there was even a thread about their salaries being leaked here, can anyone find it ?
desertdudeshj
UAE, Dubai Forums Lord of the posts
User avatar
Posts: 6258

  • Reply
Oct 13, 2009
their office assistant makes almost 17k, the average salary for a reporter was around the 22k mark. i dont know if that included housing allowances and such
monymoe
Dubai Forums Enthusiast
Posts: 67

  • Reply
Oct 13, 2009
Chocoholic wrote:
Misery Called Life wrote:I read the GN. Am stuck with it cuz I subscribed. Don't you make the same mistake!


You actually sbscribed to that heap of garbabe? Yikes! Can you not unsubscribe? Honestly you buy GN and thrw half it in the bin on the spot.


Nopes can't unsubscribe. Am stuck with that trash.

One of the editors at The National mantains a blog:-

http://annmariemcqueen.blogspot.com/
Misery Called Life
Dubai Forums Zealot
User avatar
Posts: 3033

  • Reply
Oct 13, 2009
Misery Called Life wrote:I read the GN. Am stuck with it cuz I subscribed. Don't you make the same mistake!


I don't but I like this paper, always read during breakfast in a posh restaurant.

Last article about granting a TV set to a guy for killing 80 000! rats in three months somewhere in Bangladesh was awesom. Another article about ATM which speaks Cockney Rhyming slang was also good.

It's very entertaining paper if you can read it. :wink:
Red Chief
Dubai forums GURU
User avatar
Posts: 2256

  • Reply
Oct 13, 2009
Ugly on face but kind deep inside (very deep) - and who may that be?

Last I heard you were this tall, dashing volleyball player!

Gulfnews in my opinion is very inaccurate, they seem to cater to a paticular audience (people from the subcontinent mainly) and their choice of articles in my opinion really lacks relevance.

Enetrtaining and GN? Guess I'll just have to pay more attention to it.

I prefer the FT and The National. But there are days when I don't have time to buy the paper and am stuck with GN.
Misery Called Life
Dubai Forums Zealot
User avatar
Posts: 3033

  • Reply
Oct 13, 2009
Oh don't be so down on the Good News - 25 years ago it was the National of its day, and the other one ..... Times was the old hand.

The Kerela Times, that's the one. The National is easily the best read out there and sometimes even flies close to the edge, in its desire to adopt a more balanced style of reporting, ... having said that ...

History tells us that they are only one story away from getting seriously rapped over the knuckles, finding a new managing editor appearing from the Ministry of Statistics & Propoganda and find themselves churning out the same old dog food as the rest, until 5 years later someone else comes along and the cycle starts over again.

It a good read, enjoy it while the goings good. :wink:
viking-warrior
Dubai Expat Helper
User avatar
Posts: 560

  • Reply
Oct 13, 2009
Misery Called Life wrote:Ugly on face but kind deep inside (very deep) - and who may that be?

Last I heard you were this tall, dashing volleyball player!


I appreciate that you quite like my photo. :wink:

If you eventualy receive the Noble Prize and spend that on plastic surgery to match those Lebanese chicks I'll show you my real strenth. :oops:
Red Chief
Dubai forums GURU
User avatar
Posts: 2256

  • Reply
Oct 13, 2009
I don't read newspapers. Internet all the way :)
G to tha T
Dubai forums Addict
User avatar
Posts: 235
Location: Concrete Jungle

  • Reply
Oct 14, 2009
National is the best so far.
gcarlin37
Dubai Forums Enthusiast
User avatar
Posts: 50

  • Reply
Oct 14, 2009
Misery Called Life wrote:Ugly on face but kind deep inside (very deep) - and who may that be?

Last I heard you were this tall, dashing volleyball player!

Gulfnews in my opinion is very inaccurate, they seem to cater to a paticular audience (people from the subcontinent mainly) and their choice of articles in my opinion really lacks relevance.

Enetrtaining and GN? Guess I'll just have to pay more attention to it.

I prefer the FT and The National. But there are days when I don't have time to buy the paper and am stuck with GN.


That'll be becaue 99.99999999999999 (you get the picture) % of their reporting staff are from the subcontinent!
Chocoholic
Miss DubaiForums 2005
User avatar
Posts: 12829

  • Reply
Oct 14, 2009
GN
I know its crap but the delivery guys is honest and they are always nice on the phone so they can have my money.
benwj
Dubai Master of Thread Hijackers
User avatar
Posts: 1503

  • Reply
Oct 14, 2009
I'm amazed at how inexpensive home delivery is - 300 annual for The National, 400 for GN. How can they afford it?
RAKman
Dubai Forum User
Posts: 20

  • Reply
Oct 15, 2009
Red Chief wrote:
Misery Called Life wrote:Ugly on face but kind deep inside (very deep) - and who may that be?

Last I heard you were this tall, dashing volleyball player!


I appreciate that you quite like my photo. :wink:

If you eventualy receive the Noble Prize and spend that on plastic surgery to match those Lebanese chicks I'll show you my real strenth. :oops:


Why have'nt you heard of the saying:-
What God does not bestow you with, the plastic surgeon does :lol:
Misery Called Life
Dubai Forums Zealot
User avatar
Posts: 3033

  • Reply
Oct 15, 2009
Chocoholic wrote:
That'll be becaue 99.99999999999999 (you get the picture) % of their reporting staff are from the subcontinent!


Many Arab reporters are in GN as well.

And its not because they are from a particular place; a number of Indian broadsheets would put GN/KT to shame with it's quality of reporting , so there are many good subcontinental journalists (who report in English); its just that they arent in the UAE...
BlackburnRovers
Dubai Expat Helper
Posts: 507

  • Reply
Oct 15, 2009
BlackburnRovers wrote:
Chocoholic wrote:
That'll be becaue 99.99999999999999 (you get the picture) % of their reporting staff are from the subcontinent!


Many Arab reporters are in GN as well.

And its not because they are from a particular place; a number of Indian broadsheets would put GN/KT to shame with it's quality of reporting , so there are many good subcontinental journalists (who report in English); its just that they arent in the UAE...


Deifinately, You're absolutely right!

For some reason GN does not seem to hire the best talent....
Misery Called Life
Dubai Forums Zealot
User avatar
Posts: 3033

  • Reply
Oct 18, 2009
gulf news...the best coverage....khaleej times not too good
chriscake
Dubai Forum User
Posts: 18

posting in Dubai General ChatForum Rules

Return to Dubai General Chat