Draft:Akhbar Al Aan

Akhbar Al Aan (أخبار الآن) is the news brand of the pan-Arab satellite news channel Al Aan TV. Launched in 2006, the organization is based and operating in Dubai Media City, United Arab Emirates and is owned by Tower Media Middle East FZ LLC.

Akhbar Al Aan is accessible on both satellite television and various digital platforms, led by its website, akhbaralaan.net.

Profile
The Arabic-language publisher Akhbar al Aan targets the youth in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Akhbar Al Aan prioritizes editorial content that addresses pain points of the youth, such as violent extremism, corruption and drug abuse. Throughout its history, the anti-extremism channel has produced numerous global exclusives, often centered around conflict zones and the activities of violent extremist organizations. To clarify its purpose around the idea of working “in the now” for youth news, Akhbar Al Aan rebranded in 2022 to be more relevant to the aspirations of young adults of the region.

Journalism
As the editorial focus delves into the complex issues surrounding violent extremism, Akhbar al Aan's exclusive video of the funeral of deposed Libyan Muammar Gaddafi attracted widespread attention in October 2011, garnering citations from global news outlets such as the BBC.

In 2011, In the turbulent aftermath of Gaddafi's regime collapse, a high-ranking former official disclosed to Akhbar Al Aan a startling claim: the long-vanished Lebanese Shia cleric Moussa Sadr was eliminated at Gaddafi's command.

In 2019, Akhbar Al Aan journalist and investigative reporter Jenan Moussa carried out an investigation in Germany and exposed the case of Omaima Abdi, a former ISIS wife living freely in the country. Following the revelation, legal actions were taken, resulting in Abdi's prosecution and conviction. The legal proceedings were supported by evidence provided by the network’s reporting, including the retrieval of recovered phone content containing thousands of images of the defendant posing with a weapon and referencing her husband, Deso Dogg.

In 2023, a notable contribution was made by Wassim Orabi, the Director of the Investigative Department at Akhbar Al Aan, who directed and wrote the screenplay for the Akhbar Al Aan production film “Tripoli 06”. The film received international acclaim and garnered coverage from Arab and French media outlets. This production was featured in festivals in Paris, Marseille, Berlin, Brussels, and Washington. Furthermore, it earned nominations for several awards, ultimately winning the Best Documentary Director award.

Achievements and Recognition
Founded with focus on youth news through story-hunting & telling, the Akhbar Al Aan carries its brand through their slogan: “The story belongs to everyone”. The network has received several accolades since their establishment.

Following a corporate rebranding in 2022, the network received several accolades at the 2022 Transform Magazine Awards MEA, in the categories “Best Visual Identity from the Technology, Media, and Telecommunications Sector”, “Best Rebrand of a Digital Property”, “Best Brand Evolution”, “Best Brand Consolidation”, and “Best Corporate Rebrand Following a Merger or Acquisition”.

In 2023, the website achieved notable acknowledgment by securing the 2nd place in the WAN-IFRA Best News Site category in MEA.