Alhurra

What Alhurra does

Alhurra is the flagship Arabic-language news brand of Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN), a non-profit corporation incorporated in the United States and headquartered in Washington, D.C. The organization was founded in 2004 and operates under a Congressional mandate funded by the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). Its editorial mission is to provide independent Arabic-language news, analysis, and commentary covering the Middle East, North Africa, and the intersection of U.S. and regional policy, serving Arabic-speaking audiences across MENA and the global Arabic diaspora.

The product portfolio spans a bilingual Arabic/English news website (alhurra.com), a linear television broadcast across the region, a YouTube channel with structured playlists for interviews, investigations, and podcasts, and a portfolio of five signature shows: The Diplomat (ديبلومات), Iran Briefing (إيران بإيجاز), Bitter Sweet (حامض حلو), What's the Story (القصة شنو), and Close Up (قرب لخبرك). Complementing these are a monthly magazine, seven email newsletters including MBN Agenda and Friday Brief, and specialized trackers such as the China Tracker (مرصد النفوذ الصيني). Distribution combines linear TV, website, YouTube, email, and social channels (Facebook, Instagram).

The business model is not commercial. Alhurra has no disclosed advertising revenue, subscription product, or pricing model; its operating budget derives from Congressional appropriations administered through USAGM. With 501–1,000 employees, the organization runs a full-service newsroom across broadcast and digital, targeting Arabic-speaking MENA audiences seeking independent coverage of regional geopolitics, U.S. foreign policy, security, economics, culture, and technology. The company has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, no third-party integrations, no mobile applications, and no commercial technology stack beyond standard web and video publishing.

Name

Alhurra

Legal name

Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc.

Website

https://alhurra.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Alhurra is a U.S. government-funded, non-profit Arabic-language television and digital news platform operated by Middle East Broadcasting Networks under a Congressional mandate through USAGM, serving Arabic-speaking audiences across the Middle East and North Africa with independent news, podcasts, newsletters, and a monthly magazine.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International News Broadcasting

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

International News & Current Affairs Broadcasters (MPABAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Public Diplomacy/External Service Broadcasters (MPABAEAK), Investigative & Journalism Documentaries (MPADADAD)

Keywords

• Arabic-language broadcasting
• International news media
• Middle East coverage
• Public affairs programming
• Investigative journalism

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Alhurra is an Arabic-language international broadcaster that produces and distributes independent news, current affairs, cultural commentary, and investigative journalism through a linear television channel, a bilingual news website, YouTube programming, a monthly magazine, and email newsletters. Its editorial focus is Middle East geopolitics, U.S. foreign policy toward the region, and Arabic-language coverage of countries including Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Yemen, Sudan, Turkey, Israel, and the Maghreb.

Product overview

Alhurra is an Arabic-language news platform operated by Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN), a non-profit organization funded by the US Congress through the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM). The platform delivers independent news and analysis covering the Middle East, with content organized across multiple formats: a primary news website (alhurra.com), five signature shows/podcasts (The Diplomat, Iran Briefing, Bitter Sweet, What's the Story, Close Up), a monthly magazine, multiple newsletters (MBN Agenda, Friday Briefing, Iran Briefing), and specialized trackers (China Tracker, Extremism Watch). The product ecosystem provides Arabic-speaking audiences with news, investigative journalism, cultural commentary, and perspective on US-Middle East relations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN): Parent organization operating Alhurra and related media properties
• إيران بإيجاز (Iran Briefing)
• أجندة MBN (MBN Agenda)
• مرصد النفوذ الصيني (China Tracker)

Products and services

• Alhurra News Platform Bilingual Arabic/English news website and satellite television channel delivering independent news and analysis about the Middle East and U.S.-Middle East relations to Arabic-speaking audiences across MENA.
• Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN) Parent non-profit organization operating Alhurra and related media properties; funded by the U.S. Congress through USAGM.
• The Diplomat (ديبلومات) Dialogue show featuring conversations with foreign policy makers from the Middle East, including ambassadors and officials; aimed at Arabic-speaking audiences interested in regional diplomacy.
• Iran Briefing (إيران بإيجاز) Weekly podcast summarizing Iranian politics, economics, and foreign policy, presented by analyst Andres Ilves; targeted at audiences tracking Iran-related developments.
• Bitter Sweet (حامض حلو) Cultural commentary show on the margins of mainstream news, hosted by Rami El Amine, featuring critical analysis of regional issues for Arabic-speaking audiences.
• What's the Story (القصة شنو) Variety show hosted by Aya Elbaz exploring social, political, and cultural topics affecting the Middle East.
• Close Up (قرب لخبرك) Investigative documentary series hosted by Randa Jebai covering deep-dive investigations into regional issues.
• Alhurra Newsletters Suite of free email newsletters including MBN Agenda (weekly U.S. policy analysis), Friday Briefing (top reports), and Iran Briefing summaries, distributed to subscribers.
• Alhurra Magazine (ماغازين) Long-form digital magazine featuring in-depth articles on regional issues, published monthly with cover stories for Arabic-speaking readers.
• China Tracker (مرصد النفوذ الصيني) Specialized editorial tracker monitoring Beijing's influence across MENA through trade, diplomacy, and infrastructure projects for Arabic-speaking audiences.
• Ara America (أرا أمريكا) Feature stories exploring American culture and society for Arabic-speaking audiences.
• MBN Agenda (أجندة MBN) Weekly newsletter analyzing U.S. policy discussions and decisions affecting the Middle East; targeted at policy-aware Arabic-speaking subscribers.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Al Jazeera Arabic: Qatari state-funded pan-Arab news network that is the dominant Arabic-language international broadcaster. Alhurra competes for the same Arabic-speaking MENA audience with comparable news, talk, and documentary formats, although Al Jazeera operates at significantly larger scale and broader distribution across the Arab world.
• Al Arabiya: Saudi-affiliated pan-Arab news network broadcasting in Arabic across MENA. Competes directly with Alhurra for Arabic-speaking viewers and digital audiences seeking news, talk, and current-affairs content on regional geopolitics, US-Middle East relations, and Iran.
• BBC News Arabic: Public-service international broadcaster operating a major Arabic-language news platform targeting MENA. Like Alhurra, BBC Arabic is funded by a foreign government (UK), provides independent news and analysis in Arabic, and competes for prestige and audience in international Arabic news.
• Voice of America (VOA): U.S. international broadcaster funded through the same parent agency (USAGM) as Alhurra. VOA produces Arabic-language news and shares journalistic standards, funding structure, and Congressional mandate, making it Alhurra's closest institutional sibling and direct comparator.
• Radio Sawa: Arabic-language radio network operated by MBN, Alhurra's own parent organization. Radio Sawa is a sister brand under the same Congressional appropriation and shares editorial infrastructure, audiences, and regional focus with Alhurra's television and digital products.
• France 24 Arabic: French state-funded international broadcaster with a dedicated Arabic-language channel serving MENA audiences. Comparable to Alhurra in being a foreign-government-funded public-service outlet providing news, analysis, and cultural programming in Arabic.
• Deutsche Welle Arabic (DW): German publicly funded international broadcaster that operates an Arabic-language service targeting MENA. Shares Alhurra's public-service funding model, Arabic-language news mission, and reliance on a foreign-government mandate for audience reach in the region.
• Sky News Arabia: Abu Dhabi-based pan-Arab 24-hour news channel operating with regional capital backing. Targets the same Arabic-speaking MENA audience as Alhurra with continuous news coverage, talk, and digital-first distribution, representing a well-funded commercial-state hybrid competitor.
• RT Arabic: Russian state-funded international broadcaster producing Arabic-language news and current affairs content for MENA audiences. Functions as a foreign-state-funded counterpart to Alhurra, competing in the same Arabic information space with a sharply different geopolitical framing.
• CGTN Arabic: Chinese state-run international broadcaster's Arabic-language service. Provides Chinese-perspective news coverage in Arabic across MENA, positioning it as a foreign-government-funded peer to Alhurra in the geopolitical influence broadcasting category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Alhurra
• Facebookfacebook.com/alhurra
• Instagraminstagram.com/alhurranews
• Xx.com/alhurra

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Alhurra