Sky News Arabia, a news channel to be based in Abu Dhabi, will launch services for mobile phones and tablet devices such as the iPad, a senior executive said yesterday.
The Arabic-language TV station will start broadcasting next spring through a venture between the BSkyB of the UK, which operates the Sky News channel, and the Abu Dhabi Media Investment Corporation (Admic).
John Ryley, the head of Sky News, said the launch would be followed by news services for smartphones and tablet devices.
"We're not just talking about a TV news channel," Mr Ryley said. "We plan to put it online and on mobile applications and tablets - not immediately, but in the months and years to come.
"We aim to offer a new voice for the Arab world - not just through the TV but through different outputs as well."
The new station will be based at the twofour54 media zone in Abu Dhabi, with bureaus around the world.
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Abu Dhabi Media Summit - Read our special report on the showcase event in the capital
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Sky News Arabia will be available in standard and high-definition television formats, and will broadcast free to air to more than 50 million households across the Mena region, the channel said yesterday.
Dr Sultan al Jaber, the chairman of Admic and Sky News Arabia, confirmed the channel will launch in the second quarter of next year.
"The ongoing events in the region and the world have proved the necessity to have an Arab-language tool that conveys the news with objectivity as well as clarity," Dr al Jaber said. "We'll provide the news content through the internet and portable devices, in addition to high-definition TV."
James Murdoch, the non-executive chairman of BSkyB and chairman and chief executive of News Corp in Europe and Asia, was at the launch in Abu Dhabi of the station's name and branding yesterday.
Sky News Arabia will enter a TV news market dominated by Al Arabiya, which is part of the Saudi-owned MBC Group, and Al Jazeera, which is backed by Qatar and has recently won plaudits for its coverage of events in Egypt and Tunisia.
Mr Murdoch, who will also jointly open the Abu Dhabi Media Summit this evening with the Hollywood film director James Cameron, said the new channel would "bring a new voice to Arabic viewers".
"For BSkyB this is a significant step, a real milestone for us in one of the world's most dynamic marketplaces," he said.
Mr Ryley said the new channel would be editorially independent. Executives at the station were keen to emphasise that Admic was privately owned and not part of the Abu Dhabi Government.
Mr Ryley said editorial decisions would be left to Nart Bouran, the recently appointed director of news for Sky News Arabia. "The buck, editorially, will stop with him," said Mr Ryley.
"We're not aiming to compete with [existing news channels], we're offering to offer something a bit different: the Sky News way of doing things."
bflanagan@thenational.ae
The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
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SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
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What is the Supreme Petroleum Council?
The Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council was established in 1988 and is the highest governing body in Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas industry. The council formulates, oversees and executes the emirate’s petroleum-related policies. It also approves the allocation of capital spending across state-owned Adnoc’s upstream, downstream and midstream operations and functions as the company’s board of directors. The SPC’s mandate is also required for auctioning oil and gas concessions in Abu Dhabi and for awarding blocks to international oil companies. The council is chaired by Sheikh Khalifa, the President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, is the vice chairman.
When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
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Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
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Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.