Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – 24th February 2025: Al Majalla celebrates its 45th anniversary, coinciding with the second anniversary of its digital transformation. This transformation introduced a suite of new digital products, an upgraded bilingual website in Arabic and English, and enhanced social media and interactive digital platforms.
Since its founding in 1980, Al Majalla has held a prestigious position in the Arab media landscape as a reliable source of news and in-depth analysis, earning recognition for addressing controversial topics. It has become an essential part of the political, economic, and cultural landscape across generations, establishing itself as a trusted reference for researchers and decision-makers. The magazine provides a depth and balance of reporting that addresses, analyzes, and forecasts the contemporary issues shaping our world.
For more than four decades, Al Majalla has provided unique coverage of pivotal events in regional and global history, led by a distinguished group of journalists and editors-in-chief who have left a significant mark on the media landscape, including Abdulrahman Al-Rashed, Othman Al-Omair, and Adel Al-Toraifi.
The magazine has also conducted exclusive interviews with prominent political figures who have contributed to shaping today’s political and cultural landscape. These figures include U.S. President Ronald Reagan, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, King Hussein of Jordan, and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Al Majalla attracted a distinguished group of writers, thinkers, and experts from around the world, including Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz, Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani, and Sudanese novelist Tayeb Salih.
Throughout its history, Al Majalla has published pioneering investigative reports in politics, culture, economics, and technology. It was the first to analyze Iranian politics by tracking major Tehran-backed organizations and movements. The magazine followed the details of Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait closely, being the first to report on a Kuwaiti government meeting in Saudi Arabia in 1990. It also provided exclusive coverage of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat’s departure from Beirut in 1982 and revealed the secret negotiations that led to his exit.
Since its relaunch two years ago, Al Majalla has achieved significant milestones and secured exclusive interviews, reinforcing its prestigious status in the region and beyond. Among its key achievements was an exclusive report on a “ceasefire proposal” in Gaza, which gained widespread attention from major Arabic and international media outlets. It also exclusively published the “full story” of former Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s escape, revealing never-before-told details about the days leading to the fall of the Assad regime. Other widely covered investigative pieces included “top-secret” communications between Israel and the Assad regime and the Hamas-Fatah agreement on Gaza governance.
Jomana R. Alrashid, CEO of SRMG, stated: “More than four decades ago, Al Majalla was established to cover the transformation of the region and the world, tracking events, reporting on reality, and uncovering complexities by delivering credible, accurate, and in-depth content. Al Majalla’s excellence could not have been achieved without a clear editorial vision, led by elite journalists and thinkers, and the continuous passion and drive from our team.”
Regarding the re-launch of Al Majalla two years ago, Jomana emphasized, “The fast-changing media landscape requires us to build on the legacy of the past and leverage modern platforms that resonate with the next generation of thought leaders and decision-makers.” She continued, “Today, the role of media goes beyond news delivery—it is a mirror reflecting reality, forecasting the future, and bridging generations politically, culturally, and socially.”
Beyond its journalistic achievements, the platform has been recognized for its visual storytelling and illustrative journalism, winning prestigious awards alongside major international media institutions like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Economist.
The transformation over the past two years has led to remarkable success. Page views have surged by 910%, daily visitors have increased by 714%, and monthly visitors have grown by 629%.
To continue staying ahead in the digital era, Al Majalla launched its talk show, ‘Hadith Al Majalla,’ featuring influential figures discussing key cover stories each month. It also holds discussion sessions at the renowned Frontline Club in London, featuring top media, diplomatic, and expert figures.
Ibrahim Hamidi, Editor-in-Chief of Al Majalla, remarked: “Today, we celebrate 45 years since the founding of Al Majalla. This distinguished legacy, crafted with expertise and foresight by leading journalists and intellectuals, presents both an opportunity and a challenge. It is an opportunity to build upon this rich heritage with a modern, forward-thinking approach that resonates with today’s world, and a challenge that drives us to maintain the highest standards.
He added, “In the age of digital innovation, we are focused on delivering insightful content, enhanced with cutting-edge visuals and infographics, distributed across social platforms to reach a wide and diverse audience, uniting generations and connecting our region to the world.”
“Just as Al Majalla transformed magazine journalism four decades ago, we now aim to reach new, uncharted heights.”
About Al Majalla
More than 40 years ago, Al Majalla embarked on a journey to the forefront of Arab current affairs reporting when it was first published in 1980 in London.
Now, the reputed publication is returning to the media world with refreshed form and content, channelling its legacy and experience into unique and pioneering journalism. From politics and economics to cultural, scientific, and technological issues, the coverage will cross the Arab region and the wider world.
Throughout Al Majalla’s history, a group of outstanding journalists have worked on the publication, enriching it with stories, interviews, investigations, research, and studies. They sought depth, accuracy and accessibility, simultaneously reaching global decision makers alongside specialised and non-specialised readers.
Today, Al Majalla moves forward, maintaining its established standards while giving way to the younger generation to add their voices.
An Arabic publication will appear in print form, initially as a monthly review. However, stories will be published online daily, in both English and Arabic, and across social media channels. Full print editions in other languages will follow, including English.
Like all the outlets of Saudi Research & Media Group (SRMG), Al Majalla and its staff are committed to the highest ethical and legal standards, providing meaningful, far-reaching content in accessible language. Taking a data-driven approach with a balanced perspective, current events will be discussed, and their significance assessed, from a range of perspectives.
About SRMG
SRMG has been transforming the MENA industry since 1972 and is the region’s largest integrated media group with over 30 leading titles. Across TV, digital, print and film, SRMG delivers top tier content in seven languages across four continents. With an ever-evolving consumer landscape, SRMG has launched seven business verticals. SRMG has enhanced its portfolio by developing significant partnerships with major international media brands such as Bloomberg Media, Warner Bros. Discovery, The Independent, Billboard, Penske Media Corporation and Shueisha. Through its network, SRMG brings the very best global content, high-quality production expertise, and premium entertainment to local audiences.
For more information about SRMG, please visit: www.srmg.com.
