ABU DHABI: The government of Abu Dhabi has sold its English-language daily, The National, to a media investment company owned by Sheikh Mansour, the owner of Manchester City Football Club.
International Media Investments (IMI) acquired the daily, which was founded in 2008 by the government-owned Abu Dhabi Media (ADM), the newspaper said.
IMI is a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Media Investment Corporation (ADMIC), a private company owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, half-brother of Abu Dhabi’s ruler and UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.
Sheikh Mansour is also the owner of the Abu Dhabi group that bought English Premier League club Manchester City in 2008.
“The 21st-century media landscape, dominated by digital platforms, especially mobile, offers new opportunities for The National to develop and extend its voice, while maintaining a robust presence as a traditional print asset,” said a joint statement by IMI and ADM.
ADM owns several publications, radio and television channels, including the widely circulated Aletihad newspaper and Abu Dhabi Channel.
ADMIC partnered in 2010 with British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) to form Sky News Arabia, which launched in 2012.
Man City owner buys The National newspaper
