Mass media in Qatar

Qatar has established itself as a leading regional figure in mass media over the past decade.

The accolades received by Al Jazeera from respected American professional organizations attest to the quality of their news coverage as supportive and independent.

We believe it would be wrong and counter-productive to censor a news organization whose work has won wide praise from the international journalism community."

[11] By 2014, Firefly had added more publications to its brand, including Qatar Construction News, Alef, Volante and Sur La Terre.

In the 30th annual Qatari International Book Fair there was a number of publishing companies that participated.

[21] The evolution of radio broadcasting in Qatar follows the broader trends in media development within the Arab world.

[22] In a bid to enhance diversity and accommodate Qatar's multicultural populace, in 2020 the government granted licenses for private radio stations in various languages.

[28] It had a monopoly on television audience until 1993, when Qatar Cablevision began broadcasting satellite channels.

[32] Initially launched as an Arabic news and current affairs satellite TV channel, Al Jazeera has since expanded into a network with several outlets, including the internet and specialty TV channels in multiple languages.

[36] During the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, the Al-Kass Sports Channel set a world record when it deployed 51 different cameras in a broadcast of a single match.

[42] The film is a documentary on 'fijri', a genre of Arabic music performed during pearl trips, and was premiered in Doha during the celebration ceremony for the city's successful nomination for the 'Arab Capital of Culture'.

[49] Statistics released by the International Telecommunication Union reveal that as of 2012, 88% of the population is connected to the internet.

[52] The Facebook page for global-facing media outlet AJ+ has obtained over ten million 'likes' as of April 2018.

[55] In regards to telecommunication infrastructure, Qatar is the highest ranked Middle Eastern country in the World Economic Forum's Network Readiness Index (NRI), an indicator for determining the development level of a country's information and communication technologies.

[6] The 1979 Prints and Publications Law, which imposes many restrictions on the freedom of the press, remained in effect despite the other reforms made by Sheikh Hamad.

It declares, “The Emir of the state of Qatar shall not be criticized and no statement can be attributed to him unless under a written permission from the manager of his office.”[58] As a result, journalists practice self-censorship, particularly in regards to the ruling family.

[60] IREX reports that newspapers and radio programmes possess a wider margin of freedom than the official news media.

[10] Internet service is monitored by the government, which censors pornography and other materials deemed inappropriate.

[63] The law also stipulates that anyone found guilty of publishing false news which could jeopardize the safety of the state could face a maximum 1-year prison sentence and QR 250,000 fine, while anyone who is found guilty of publishing false news with the aim of destabilizing national security may face up to a three-year prison sentence and a fine of QR 500,000.

He resigned in July 2009 over a dispute with the Qatari authorities, whom he accuses of restricting the centre's freedom of speech.