Shams (newspaper)

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Shams
TypeDaily
FormatTabloid
Owner(s)Turki bin Khalid bin Faisal
PublisherShams Information Company for Publishing and Development
FoundedDecember 2005
LanguageArabic
Ceased publicationFebruary 2012
Circulation70,000[1]
WebsiteWebsite


Shams (Sun in Arabic) was a Saudi Arabian daily newspaper, first published in December 2005.[2] It was launched as a tabloid paper.[3] The media group that published it described the paper as modern and trendy.[1] It was disestablished in February 2012.

Ownership

Turki bin Khalid bin Faisal was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Shams Information Company for Publishing and Development that publishes Shams.[4] It was also reported that he partly owned the paper.[5]

Circulation and staff

There is inconsistent information about the daily print of Shams. The media group publishing the paper gave the number of daily print as 120,000.[2] Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), on the other hand, in its 2006 report described Shams as a modest paper with the daily circulation of 40,000.[5] The Group Plus stated the daily circulation as over 70,000.[1] Shams was staffed mainly by Saudi journalists.[2]

Publishing sites

Shams was being printed in Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah.[1]

Target population

Shams was the first daily, addressing specifically at Saudi Arabia’s large youth population.[2] The paper targeted Saudi young people,[3] specifically male and female readers between the ages of 18 to 35 who are interested in modern life-style, but also loyal to Saudi Arabia's conventional customs.[1]

Content

Shams mostly covered general local Saudi news and other top news from the world.[6] The content of the paper was varied and insightful, ranging from political news and social issues to business news, and various international and local sports news. It also involved the latest Internet and technology updates, fashion, university topics, cars, and various other entertainment topics. It also attempted to cover the opinions and interests of today’s younger generation.[1]

Controversy

See also; Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy

The publication of the Shams was suspended on 20 February 2006 after publishing one of the controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad that caused anger across the Muslim world due to their publication in the Danish daily Jyllands-Posten on 30 September 2005.[5][7][8] In fact, this cartoon was printed in Shams next to the articles calling for Saudis to take action against Denmark where the cartoons first published. The paper stated that the cartoon was published to initiate a campaign in Saudi Arabia against Danish interests and Denmark.[3]

In late March 2006, Shams began to be published again. However, its 32-year-old editor Battal Koss was dismissed in late February 2006[9] and replaced by Khalaf Harby.[2]

Closure

At the beginning of February 2012, Shams was closed down due to the conditions beyond its management.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Shams Newspaper". Group Plus Media. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e Addington, Tim (2 April 2006). "Suspended Saudi newspaper returns". Arabian Business. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  3. ^ a b c Usher, Sebastian (20 February 2006). "Saudi paper 'shut' in cartoon row". BBC. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  4. ^ "Dr. Khoja Patronizes Launch Ceremony of Shams Newspaper". Gulf in the Media. 2 May 2010. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  5. ^ a b c Campagna, Joel (2006). "Saudi Arabia report: Princes, cerics, and censors". Committee to Protect Journalists. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  6. ^ "Shams newspaper". Araboo. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  7. ^ "Saudi Arabia" (PDF). IREX. 2006. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  8. ^ "Chronology: Saudi Arabia". The Middle East Journal. 60 (3). Summer 2006. Retrieved 4 September 2013.  – via Questia (subscription required)
  9. ^ "Saudi Arabia - Annual Report 2007". Reporters Sans Frontieres. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  10. ^ "(Prince Turki bin Khalid: Circumstances forced us to stop the sun) لأمير تركي بن خالد: الظروف أجبرتنا على إيقاف شمس". Shams. 1 February 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
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