Arab News
Saudi English-language daily published by SRMG
Arab News is an English-language daily newspaper founded in Jeddah in 1975 by the brothers Hisham and Mohammad Hafiz. It moved its headquarters to Riyadh in 2018, and Faisal J. Abbas has been editor-in-chief since 2016. It is published by the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG); Wikipedia has also described it as owned by Prince Turki bin Salman, a brother of the Crown Prince.Sources:1Wikipedia: Arab News, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)
SRMG's controlling stakes are held by funds managed by SNB Capital, whose ultimate controlling party is Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund; State Media Monitor rates SRMG "Captured Public/State-Managed". Wikipedia says the paper promotes the Saudi government, and AP and Haaretz have described it as reflecting official Saudi positions. No independence statement from the paper was found.Sources:1Wikipedia: Arab News, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)3State Media Monitor: Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG), State Media Monitor (source, opens in a new tab)
Who it favours
Our reading of 1 article by Arab News on stories with competing sides. A story counts only when two signals point the same way; balanced coverage counts too. How we decide.
Balanced in every story we analysed.
Who controls it
Whoever owns an outlet, provides most of its money or directs it controls it. Our rule.
- ReportedControlled by Saudi Arabia's state, through the Public Investment Fund (owner) · Controlled by a government (its owner) Sources:3State Media Monitor: Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG), State Media Monitor (source, opens in a new tab)
- ReportedPromotes the Saudi government (Wikipedia; AP and Haaretz) · Stance described by a reliable source or study Sources:1Wikipedia: Arab News, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)
Owners, funders and directors
- OwnerSaudi Research and Media GroupPublisher Sources:1Wikipedia: Arab News, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)
- OwnerPublic Investment FundUltimate controlling party of SNB Capital, whose funds hold SRMG's controlling stakes (State Media Monitor) Sources:3State Media Monitor: Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG), State Media Monitor (source, opens in a new tab)
- Government of Saudi Arabia: State investment fund investing on behalf of the government; chaired by the Crown Prince Sources:Wikipedia: Public Investment Fund, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)
- DirectorAbdulrahman Ibrahim AlrowaitaNon-executive chairman of SRMG since May 2021 Sources:4SRMG: SRMG announces board and chairman appointments, SRMG, 23 May 2021 (source, opens in a new tab)
- DirectorFaisal J. AbbasEditor-in-chief since September 2016 Sources:1Wikipedia: Arab News, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)
As documented, nearest first. Each note says what the source supports.
How we use it
1 story cites Arab News directly.
October 2026
- Iran's president says many struggle for food as Tehran offers to reopen Hormuz if US lifts blockadeMasoud Pezeshkian said many Iranians struggle to put food on the table, Iran's envoy to Pakistan said Tehran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the US lifted its blockade, and a US carrier was reported rearming for possible strikes.
Outside left–right raters
For comparison only. Western raters place outlets on a left–right line, which says nothing about whom they favour in a given story or who funds them; our own tally is above.
Media Bias/Fact Check: Right-Center (checked 24 Oct 2026)
Sources
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