The National

A new English language newspaper has arrived on news stands in the UAE. The National based in Abu Dhabi, is a broadsheet which has news, business, arts & culture, opinions and more.

One of the most refreshing things about this newspaper is that half of it is not taken up with advertisements. I have come to dislike that in other newspapers, as the amount of actual news one can read is greatly diminished by the huge number of ads adorning every page.

Another advantage is that Abu Dhabi is the main focus of this paper, even though other parts of the UAE are reported on, as are other areas in the Middle East and internationally. Most other daily newspapers are based in Dubai and it is from there most of the news is reported, interviews conducted etc.

The National has arrived in Abu Dhabi at a time when the subject of national identity is forefront in the minds of many government bodies. This newspaper has, since its first edition on April 17th, included articles such as: the life of bedouin tribes in the desert, a report on the national identity conference which took place a few days ago, a piece on 20 influential women in UAE society. An article in today's edition reported on the International Architects Conference held in the Exhibition Centre this week, at which there was a call for more Emirati architects to become involved in the design of buildings which are more in keeping with the culture and design sentiments of the region and the country.

The editor-in-chief is Martin Newland, former editor of the UK's Daily Telegraph newspaper. The business editor is former corporate finance editor of the Wall Street Journal and there are 200 other staff members, many of whom are from Europe, America, South Africa and Australia. This will hopefully provide a broad range of journalistic styles and topics of interest.

The National was launched by Abu Dhabi Media Company and is therefore funded by the government. Consequently, it is unlikely that total independence will be enjoyed by the journalists involved in this broadsheet. On the other hand, in an interview before the newspaper was launched, Martin Newland said he hoped that his team would be able to ask some pertinent questions and raise some issues which are important to residents. Present at the launch, showing his support for the initiative was Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed - a big seal of approval.

This is a newspaper that cannot be read in half an hour, which is always a good thing! Let's hope that lasts.