As-Safir

History and profile

As-Safir was first published by Talal Salman on 26 March 1974 as an Arabic political daily. Bassem Sabeh was the chief editor of the paper between 1980 and 1990.{{cite journal|author=Serene Assir|title=Divided we fall|journal=Al Ahram Weekly|date=21–27 April 2005|volume=739

One of the early contributors was Palestinian cartoonist Naji Al Ali. Another contributor was Samir Frangieh.{{cite book|title=Who's Who in Lebanon|year=2007|location=Beirut|publisher=Publitec Publications|edition=19th|pages=132, 298

On 18 July 2011, the paper, together with Al Akhbar, another daily published in Lebanon, was banned in Syria.{{cite web|title=Press and Cultural Freedom in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine|format=Annual report|year=2011

As-Safir had a weekly page on the environmental issues.{{cite web|author=Najib Saab|title=The Environment in Arab Media

Political approach

As-Safir stated its mission as to be "the newspaper of Lebanon in the Arab world and the newspaper of the Arab world in Lebanon." This remained the slogan printed on the paper's masthead.{{cite web|title=Lebanon

Another Lebanese daily, An-Nahar, was cited as the biggest rival of As-Safir. In the mid-1990s, the paper was described as a left-of-center paper, whereas An-Nahar as a right-of-center paper. During the same period, As-Safir was also described by Robert Fisk as a Syrian-backed newspaper. In the 2000s these papers were supporters of two opposite poles in Lebanon, in that An-Nahar supported March 14 alliance, whereas As-Safir supported March 8 alliance.

Circulation and websites

As-Safir had the second highest circulation in Lebanon in the 1990s after An-Nahar. Its circulation was 45,000 copies in 2003, making it the second best selling paper in Lebanon.{{cite web

In addition to its Arabic website, the paper had also an English website.{{cite web |archive-date=29 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160729212745/http://www.jadaoun.com/2803/forbes-releases-top-50-mena-online-newspapers-lebanon-fails-to-make-top-10/|url-status=dead}}

References

References

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4. Jad Mouawad. (9 March 2005). "Lebanese Lawmakers Bring Back Pro-Syrian Prime Minister". [[The New York Times]].
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7. (14 June 2011). "Mikati unveils 30-member Cabinet dominated by Hizbullah and March 8 allies". The Daily Middle East Reporter.
8. Mohalhel Fakih. (2–8 September 2004). "Pulling at Lebanon's strings". Al Ahram Weekly.
9. Yahya R. Kamalipour. (1994). "Mass Media in the Middle East: A Comprehensive Handbook". Greenwood Press.
10. Robert Fisk. (13 May 1993). "Beirut newspaper defies closure: Lebanese officials say left-wing daily 'endangered security of the state' with peace talks report". The Independent.
11. "The Lebanese Print Media Landscape". Media Ownership Monitor.
12. "Lebanon Press". Press Reference.