Times of Oman

What Times of Oman does

Times of Oman is the oldest English-language daily newspaper in the Sultanate of Oman, founded on February 23, 1975 by Essa bin Mohammed Al Zedjali and published by Muscat Media Group (MMG) SAOC, a privately held Omani media company headquartered in Ruwi, Muscat. The broadsheet serves English-speaking readers in Oman and the wider expatriate community, with particular strength among residents from the Indian subcontinent, and is published five days a week (Sunday through Thursday) with 52 pages covering politics, sports, finance, and culture. Current leadership is anchored by Mohammed Essa Al Zedjali, who serves as Chairman of MMG and Editor-in-Chief.

The publication's product portfolio extends well beyond the flagship print edition into a multi-platform digital and lifestyle media ecosystem. Core technical assets include the timesofoman.com website (launched 1998 as the first news website in the region), an online e-paper edition (launched 2004, the first in the Sultanate), and a mobile application for iPad and smartphones (launched 2007), supplemented by a video offering (T TV) and an audio/radio property (TFM Radio). The portfolio also includes several print supplements: Thursday Magazine (T-Mag, launched November 1999), the weekly Hi Magazine, the monthly Faces Magazine (20,000 freely distributed copies targeting business expatriates and Omanis aged 18–35), the annual Heavenly Homes interior design title, and the Art of Cooking annual cookbook. Distribution spans print, web, mobile, e-paper, and social media (Facebook and Twitter active since 2013).

Times of Oman operates a sales-led, advertising-funded business model. Revenue is generated through three documented streams: print advertising in the daily broadsheet, online advertising on the website (fixed banners, floating banners, full-page banners), and classifieds and local ads published in the daily guide section. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; advertisers engage through a dedicated ad sales team. The business is dual-sided — readers consume free editorial content while advertisers monetize reach — with the expatriate community representing a structurally monetizable demographic given English-language affinity and concentrated purchasing power in the Omani market.

Name

Times of Oman

Legal name

Muscat Media Group SAOC

Website

https://timesofoman.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Times of Oman is the oldest English-language daily newspaper in Oman, published by Muscat Media Group since 1975. It delivers print, digital, video, and radio content across a multi-platform portfolio to Omani readers and the expatriate community, funded primarily by advertising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Daily Newspaper Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Periodical Publishers (513120)

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

• English daily newspaper
• News publishing
• Online news platform
• Print advertising
• Digital journalism

Headquarters

HQ city

Ruwi

HQ country

Oman

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Online Advertising: Online advertising through the Times of Oman website, offering fixed banners, floating banners, and full page banners with targeted reach to online audiences
2. Print Advertising: Print advertising in the daily broadsheet newspaper published five days a week
3. Classifieds and Local Ads: Section D contains daily guide with local ads and classifieds

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Times of Oman publishes and distributes a flagship 52-page English-language daily broadsheet newspaper in Oman (Sunday to Thursday), alongside a digital e-paper edition, a mobile application, and a continuously updated website. Revenue is generated primarily through selling print and online advertising space (fixed, floating, and full-page banners, classifieds, and local ads) to businesses seeking to reach Omani and expatriate audiences. The product suite is extended with several magazine supplements (Thursday Magazine, Hi, Faces, Heavenly Homes, Art of Cooking) and T TV video content, all produced by the parent Muscat Media Group.

Product overview

Times of Oman operates a multi-platform news media portfolio anchored by its flagship English daily broadsheet newspaper, published five days a week from Sunday to Thursday. The core product is complemented by a digital e-paper edition (launched 2004), a mobile application (launched 2007), and a 24/7 updated website. The publication suite includes several named supplements: Thursday Magazine (weekly family magazine), Hi Magazine (weekly Friday edition), Faces Magazine (monthly lifestyle magazine), Heavenly Homes (annual interior design), and Art of Cooking (annual cookbook). T TV provides video content. All publications are owned and published by Muscat Media Group SAOC, headquartered in Muscat, Oman.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Times of Oman Daily Newspaper The oldest and leading English-language daily broadsheet newspaper in Oman, published five days a week (Sunday to Thursday) with 52 pages covering politics, sports, finance, and culture. Distributed in Oman and abroad to Omani nationals and the expatriate community (with significant readership from the Indian subcontinent), providing comprehensive local, regional, and international English-language news coverage.
• Times of Oman E-Paper Digital online edition of the Times of Oman newspaper, accessible globally via the website. The first newspaper in the Sultanate of Oman to offer an online e-paper edition, providing the full newspaper reading experience in a digital format.
• Times of Oman Mobile Application Mobile application for iPad and smartphones providing on-the-go access to Times of Oman news content for readers in Oman and the wider region.
• Times of Oman Website (timesofoman.com) Continuously updated news website offering round-the-clock coverage of Oman, Middle East, Asia, and world news across politics, business, sports, technology, opinion, and lifestyle sections. The first website for news information in the region.
• Online Advertising (Display Banners) Digital advertising inventory on timesofoman.com offering fixed banners of varying sizes, floating banners, and full-page banners. Sold to local and international advertisers seeking reach into the Times of Oman online audience across Oman and abroad; pricing available on inquiry.
• Print Advertising (Broadsheet Display) Print display advertising in the daily Times of Oman broadsheet, published five days a week, alongside classifieds and local ads carried in Section D. Rates are quote-based and available on inquiry through the advertising sales team.
• Thursday Magazine (T-Mag) Weekly family magazine supplement bundled with the main Thursday edition of Times of Oman, covering thought-provoking stories, healthcare, beauty tips, crime, romance, travel, parenting, fashion, and cooking. Targeted at expatriates and Omani females.
• Hi Magazine Weekly magazine covering news, views, leisure, business, and sports, circulated on Fridays (replacing the regular newspaper edition). Targets readers seeking leisure and business content for the weekend.
• Faces Magazine Monthly lifestyle magazine targeting business expatriates, working professionals, and Omanis aged 18-35. Features local personalities, movie and book reviews, health, fashion, relationships, food, and travel. Freely distributed with 20,000 copies alongside Times of Oman.
• T TV Video and TV content section of Times of Oman featuring multimedia stories and video news coverage distributed online via the Times of Oman website and digital channels.

Quantifiable outcome

• First newspaper in the Sultanate to have an online e-paper edition (2004)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Muscat Media Group (MMG) SAOCcoreOthersTimes of Oman is published by Muscat Media Group (MMG) SAOC, which was established 35 years ago by founder Essa bin Mohammed Al Zedjali. MMG is the parent company providing state-of-the-art infrastructure and news gathering technology.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Oman Observer: The other major English-language daily newspaper in Oman, providing direct competition for advertisers and readers. Operates in the same Omani market with similar print and digital editions, making it the closest direct competitor to Times of Oman.
• The National: Abu Dhabi-based English-language daily newspaper published by Abu Dhabi Media. Directly comparable business model (English daily with multi-platform editions) and overlapping audience of GCC expatriates and internationally-minded residents.
• Arab News: Saudi Arabia-based English-language daily newspaper with pan-Middle East distribution. Operates a similar print-and-digital news model targeting Arabic-region English readers and competes for advertisers seeking regional English-language reach.
• Muscat Daily: Another English-language daily newspaper based in Muscat, Oman. Direct competitor in the same Omani market with overlapping expatriate readership and similar print/digital news model.

Broad incumbents

• Khaleej Times: Major UAE-based English daily newspaper serving the Gulf expatriate community. Shares a comparable audience profile with Times of Oman and competes for pan-regional advertising budgets targeting English-speaking residents.
• Gannett: Largest U.S. newspaper publisher operating USA TODAY and hundreds of local papers. Relevant comparable for understanding the structural challenges, digital transition strategies, and valuation dynamics facing multi-platform newspaper operators.
• Al Jazeera: Qatar-based global media network offering English-language news content across digital, TV, and online platforms. Competes for English-speaking audiences and digital advertising across the MENA region, including Oman.
• Gulf News: One of the largest English-language daily newspapers in the GCC, headquartered in UAE. Competes with Times of Oman for regional advertising spend and expatriate readership, and serves as a benchmark for English-language news media in the Gulf region.

Regional players

• Saudi Gazette: English-language daily newspaper in Saudi Arabia with print and digital editions. Comparable news publishing model serving English-speaking expatriates and Saudi professionals in the region.
• Kuwait Times: Oldest English-language daily in Kuwait and the Gulf region (founded 1961). Comparable regional English newspaper format targeting expatriate community; doesn't directly compete in Oman but provides a relevant benchmark for English-language GCC newspaper operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/timesofoman
• Xx.com/timesofoman
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/times-of-oman

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 records

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 Times of Oman