The National News

Name

The National News

Legal name

The National

Website

https://thenationalnews.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital News Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (51311), Periodical Publishers (513120), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

National & General-Interest Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)

Keywords

• Digital news publishing
• English-language journalism
• MENA news coverage
• News podcasts
• Online news subscription

Headquarters

HQ city

Abu Dhabi

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Digital Subscriptions: The National offers free registration with premium content available to paid subscribers. The site states 'Register now for The National's award-winning journalism – free and tailored to you', indicating a freemium model with premium tiers.
2. Advertising: The publication generates advertising revenue through display ads, sponsored content, and branded sections across its website and newsletter offerings.
3. Print Subscriptions: Print subscription options available through the website with a 'Print Subscriptions' link (/subscribe/).

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The National is an English-language digital and print news publication delivering comprehensive coverage of the UAE, MENA region, and global news across text, video, podcast, e-paper, and magazine formats. It operates a freemium model with free registration and premium subscriptions, supported by advertising and print subscriptions.

Product overview

The National News operates as a unified digital media platform offering comprehensive news coverage across multiple channels. The core product is its news website delivering MENA and global content. The portfolio includes 6 branded podcasts (Beyond the Headlines, Culture Bites, Business Extra, Tarab, The Inside Brief), a monthly TN Magazine, 13 themed newsletters, an E-Paper digital replica, and the Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Journalism Fellowship programme. Content is delivered through text articles, video, and audio formats with social sharing capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TN Magazine: Lifestyle and culture magazine published by The National featuring cover stories, fashion, travel, and feature content.

Products and services

• The National News Website The National's primary English-language digital news portal covering MENA region, global news, business, sport, culture, and lifestyle content with multimedia features including video and podcasts.
• TN Magazine The National's monthly magazine featuring in-depth features, culture coverage, interviews, and long-form journalism on lifestyle, fashion, travel, and culture topics.
• Beyond the Headlines Podcast Podcast delivering in-depth analysis of major stories from the Middle East and worldwide.
• Culture Bites Podcast Podcast covering arts and culture news from the UAE region.
• Business Extra Podcast Podcast focusing on business stories, companies, trends, technology, innovation and leaders shaping the world.
• Tarab Podcast Podcast exploring the creative worlds of the Middle East's most compelling musicians.
• The Inside Brief Podcast Podcast featuring interviews and analysis on current affairs.
• E-Paper Digital replica of The National's print edition accessible through PressReader platform and direct subscription.
• Newsletter Suite Collection of 13 themed newsletters covering Middle East news, UAE news, energy, arts, future tech, climate, lifestyle, and more.
• Print Edition Physical newspaper distributed through retail channels in the UAE with subscription options.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Carter CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe National serves as the UAE administrator for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, a non-residential programme run by The Carter Centre in the US. The partnership involves selecting UAE-based journalists for mental health journalism training and reporting projects. The National's Nick March serves as fellowship administrator.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Daily Star Lebanon: English-language Lebanese newspaper covering regional MENA news; serves an adjacent MENA audience with similar content mix but focused on Levant rather than Gulf perspective.

Broad incumbents

• The New York Times: US-based global English-language newspaper with significant international news coverage including dedicated MENA reporting; competes for premium international readers and global advertisers in the region.
• Reuters: Global English-language news wire and digital publisher with massive international newsroom; competes for the same internationally-minded MENA-focused professional readership and global advertisers.
• BBC News: UK public broadcaster with extensive international news coverage including dedicated MENA reporting; sets the standard for English-language global news and competes for the same audience.
• Financial Times: Global English-language business news publication with strong MENA business coverage; competes for premium business professionals and decision-makers in the region.
• Bloomberg: Global financial news and data provider covering MENA markets, energy, and banking; overlaps with The National's Business section coverage of aviation, energy, banking, and finance.

Direct peers

• Arab News: Saudi Arabia-headquartered English-language daily newspaper covering MENA news with a similar freemium digital model, multiple editions, and international readership focus.
• Gulf News: UAE-based English-language daily newspaper with print and digital editions, serving the same UAE/MENA audience with overlapping business, lifestyle, and regional news coverage.
• Khaleej Times: Long-standing UAE English-language newspaper with print, web, and video operations, directly competing for the same expatriate and business reader base in the UAE.
• Al Jazeera English: Qatar-based English-language news operation with extensive digital, video, and podcast presence covering MENA and global news—another state-backed English-language news brand with international reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheNationalNews
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/thenational
• Facebookfacebook.com/thenationalnews
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thenational
• Instagraminstagram.com/thenationalnews

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The National News