Al-Watan (in Arabic الوطن meaning The Homeland) was a Kuwaiti Arabic language daily published by the Al Watan publishing house. The editor in chief was Khalifa Al Ali Al Sabah, a member of the Kuwaiti ruling family, Al Sabah.[1] The paper was in circulation between 1974 and 2015.
| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Al Watan publishing house |
| Editor-in-chief | Khalifa Al Ali Al Sabah |
| Associate editor | Waleed Al Jasem |
| Founded | 17 January 1974 |
| Language | Arabic |
| Ceased publication | January 2015 |
| Headquarters | Shuwaikh, Kuwait City |
| Website | Al Watan |
History and profile edit
The paper was launched in 1974.[2][3] Al Watan was suspended by the Kuwaiti government on 30 August 1976.[4] In April 2014, the paper and Alam Al Youm were temporarily closed down for two weeks by the Kuwaiti government due to the publication of a videotape showing former senior officials plotting a coup in Kuwait.[5] In June 2014, both papers were shut down for five days because of the same reason.[1][6]
In January 2015, the Kuwaiti government shut down Al Watan basen on the grounds that the newspaper had violated the license law, since it had less than enough capital to maintain a license.[7]
Circulation edit
Al Watan sold 86,000 copies in 2001 making it the second best selling newspaper in the country.[8] The 2006 circulation of the paper was 100,000 copies.[9]
The paper's online version was the second most visited website for 2010 in the MENA region.[10]