Al Jazeera launches Arabic-language biz news site

Al Jazeera Digital announced Thursday the launch of Reyada, its Arabic language business news vertical.

Reyada will combine Al Jazeera’s coverage with content from The New York Times under a licensing agreement. Reyada will be run from Al Jazeera’s offices in Washington, D.C.

The “Economy” page on Al Jazeera’s website currently includes content from Bloomberg News.

“With a market of nearly 440 million people, the Middle East is moving aggressively towards economic diversification. Reyada will be uniquely positioned to monitor, explain and report on this evolution,” said Dr. Yaser Bishr, executive director of digital for Al Jazeera Media Network. “We are thrilled to collaborate with The New York Times, an organization that possesses such high journalistic integrity and a well-earned legacy, to support the launch and coverage of Reyada.”

“Reyada will frame news coverage to benefit not only the Middle East business community but the increasing pool of rising leaders and ambitious young people who will be the major players in the economic diversification programs of tomorrow. Our initial emphasis will be on innovation, tech trends, start-ups, and entrepreneurship,” said Anas Fouda, manager of Al Jazeera Arabic website.

Chris Roush

Chris Roush was the dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He was previously Walter E. Hussman Sr. Distinguished Professor in business journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a former business journalist for Bloomberg News, Businessweek, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Tampa Tribune and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He is the author of the leading business reporting textbook "Show me the Money: Writing Business and Economics Stories for Mass Communication" and "Thinking Things Over," a biography of former Wall Street Journal editor Vermont Royster.