Emirates Business 24/7 to halt printing, maintain web presence

ABU DHABI // The print edition of Emirates Business 24/7 will close this summer, leaving the publication with only an online presence. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the chairman of Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI), ordered the move yesterday. The print version of the paper will cease operations by the middle of next month.

"Emirates Business 24/7 will be a source of news and information, regardless of where the readers are, and it will present various interactive services using a variety of programmes and electronic updates," Ahmad al Shaikh, the managing director of DMI, said in a statement. He claimed the move was due to the growth of online media. "This trend is the result of the emergence of the internet being one of the most prominent channels of communication for people to get information," he said.

The relaunched publication will be interactive, and will allow readers to respond via e-mail, SMS, and social networking sites, and will be compatible for viewing with the latest generation of smart phones. "The launching of this new electronic newspaper will be an added value to digital media and it will present local events from a different perspective to the world," he said. Dubai One will also broadcast a programme on a weekly basis entitled "Emirates Business 24/7" in conjunction with the site.

The editor-in-chief of Emirates Business 24/7, Riyad Mickdady, declined to comment on the changes or whether there would be redundancies. @Email:[e-mail]