''Shams'' () was a Saudi Arabian daily newspaper published between 2005 and 2012. Its publisher described the paper as modern and trendy.
History and profile
''Shams'' was launched as a tabloid paper in December 2005. Turki bin Khalid bin Faisal, a grandson of
Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (c. 5 January 1931 – 22 October 2011) (, ''Sulṭān ibn ʿAbdulʿazīz Āl Suʿūd''), called ''The generous Sultan'' (, ''Sulṭan al Khair'') in Saudi Arabia, was the Saudi defense minister from 1963 to 201 ...
, was the chairman of the board of directors of Shams Information Company for Publishing and Development. It was also reported that he partly owned the paper. Al Wataniya group was also the founder of the daily.
There is inconsistent information about the daily print of ''Shams''. The media group publishing the paper gave the number of daily print as 120,000.
Committee to Protect Journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in New York City, with correspondents around the world. CPJ promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists. The '' American Journalism ...
(CPJ), on the other hand, in its 2006 report described ''Shams'' as a modest paper with the daily circulation of 40,000 copies. The Group Plus stated the daily circulation as over 70,000 copies. ''Shams'' was staffed mainly by Saudi journalists. and was being printed in
Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the Riyadh Governorate. Located on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa, the current form of the metropolis largely emerged in th ...
,
Dammam
Dammam (Arabic: الدمام ad-Dammām) is a city and governorate, and the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Located on the coast of the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 1,386,166 as of 2022, making it the country's fifth- ...
and
Jeddah
Jeddah ( ), alternatively transliterated as Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda ( ; , ), is a List of governorates of Saudi Arabia, governorate and the largest city in Mecca Province, Saudi Arabia, and the country's second largest city after Riyadh, located ...
.
The daily was the first paper in Saudi Arabia addressing at large youth population. Specifically, it targeted male and female Saudi readers between the ages of 18 and 35 who are interested in modern life-style, but also loyal to Saudi Arabia's conventional customs.
''Shams'' mostly covered general local Saudi news and other top news from the world. The content of the paper was varied and insightful, ranging from political news and social issues to business news, and various international and local sports news. It also featured the latest Internet and technology updates, fashion, university topics, cars, and various other entertainment topics. It also attempted to cover the opinions and interests of today's younger generation.
Controversy
''See also'';
Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
The Muhammad cartoons controversy (or Muhammad cartoons crisis, ) began after the Danish newspaper published twelve editorial cartoons on 30 September 2005 depicting Muhammad, the founder of Islam, in what it said was a response to the deb ...
The publication of the ''Shams'' was suspended on 20 February 2006 after publishing one of the controversial cartoons of
Mohammad
Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monotheistic teachings of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Mose ...
that caused anger across the
Muslim world
The terms Islamic world and Muslim world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs, politics, and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is ...