Media in Qatar
Media in Qatar Last updated on Thursday 22nd April 2010
The English-language newspaper is the Gulf Daily News. Foreign newspapers and magazines, usually a day or two old, are available in various hotels or large shopping centres.
The second TV channel in Qatar broadcasts in English from late afternoon until midnight. Usually it is possible with a good antenna to pick up English stations broadcasting from Bahrain, the UAE or Saudi Arabia.
It is also possible to pick up CNN on Channel 55 out of Bahrain from about 11.00pm to 6.00pm the following day. Another frequency from Bahrain also carries BBC World Service Television 24 hours a day.
Qatar FM broadcasts a mixed selection of music from early morning until late at night.
The launch of Al Jazeera TV Channel in 1997 raised the profile of Qatari television internationally. The station has gained a special reputation due to being extremely outspoken on issues traditionally considered very sensitive in the Arab world.
Already popular in the Arab world, Al Jazeera TV has became known worldwide after becoming the only TV channel permitted to work from inside Afghanistan and the first channel to air recorded statements by Osama Bin Laden following the US military campaign against Afghanistan on 7 October 2001.
The Qatari government had officially lifted censorship of the media in 1995; since then the press has been free from interference of the government.
Newspapers
Arabic
Al Sharq
Al-Watan
Al-Raya
English
Gulf Times
TV
Qatar TV
Quran channel
English channel
Satellite TV
Al-Jazeera
Radio
“Qatar Broadcasting Service” is the only domestic radio station.
Internet
In April 1999, Qatar reportedly had 27,500 internet users and 11,000 online subscribers. Qatar ranks third, after China and Egypt, in terms of new market PC growth on the world level at a rate of more than 25 % annually.