TV channels United Arab Emirates

Television in the United Arab Emirates is organised around the media corporations of the individual emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah each run their own channels, while Dubai additionally serves as the base for major pan-Arab news services.

Television from Abu Dhabi

The capital's flagship is Abu Dhabi TV: the Abu Dhabi Media channel has been on air since 1969 and ranks among the oldest television services in the Gulf, with a grid combining drama, culture and social programmes. Emirati identity has its own screen in Emarat TV, devoted to national stories and the country's daily life. The group's sports arm consists of AD Sports 1 and AD Sports 2, while YAS Sports preserves the region's traditional competitions: camel racing, falconry and equestrian sport.

Television from Dubai

Dubai Media runs a whole family of channels. Dubai TV, aimed at the Arab family audience, launched in 2004, while the English-language Dubai One has been on air since 1994, mixing international series and films with in-house productions. Sama Dubai focuses on talk shows and urban culture, and Dubai Zaman brings back the classics of Arab television. The sports block is formed by Dubai Sports 1, Dubai Sports 2 and Dubai Sports 3, and horse and camel racing, the emirate's signature, have their own channels: Dubai Racing 1, Dubai Racing 2 and Dubai Racing 3.

Sharjah: Culture and Regional Television

Sharjah TV, from the Sharjah Media Corporation, has been broadcasting since 1989 with a cultural and religious profile; it is complemented by Sharjah TV 2. Life in the emirate's eastern region around the city of Kalba is covered by Sharqiya KalbaTV, and the sports agenda belongs to Sharjah Sports TV.

Dubai as a News Capital

Major pan-Arab news services broadcast from Dubai. Al Arabiya English is the English-language service of the Al Arabiya news giant, and Al Hadath, the Saudi-owned channel of the MBC Group, tracks events across the Arab world without pause. The pan-Arab Al Aan TV from Dubai Media City combines news with social programming, and CNBC Arabia reads regional and international affairs through an economic lens.

Religious Programming

The spiritual line is represented by Noor Dubai, with programmes in a moderate Islamic spirit for the whole family, and Alafasy TV, built around recitation of the Quran.