ADMC to publish the first Arabic-language version of National Geographic magazine

Abu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC) and National Geographic today announced a partnership to publish the first Arabic-language version of National Geographic magazine. The new monthly publication, National Geographic Al Arabiya, will be available in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Syria and Sudan. The first edition is expected on newsstands 1 October 2010.

National Geographic Al Arabiya will provide readers in the region with greater access to National Geographic magazine’s award-winning features on geography, archaeology and natural science, as well as its iconic imagery of natural beauty from around the world. Complementing this global content, more than 20 percent of each issue will be generated locally, with unique features of particular relevance to regional readers. National Geographic Channels International & Abu Dhabi Media Company also broadcast the National Geographic Channel in Arabic across the Middle East.

“Giving people a window to the world in their own language through National Geographic magazine’s incomparable images and storytelling is a compelling way to extend the mission of the National Geographic Society to inspire people to care about the planet,” said Society President and CEO John Fahey.

Added Terry Adamson, Executive Vice President of National Geographic: “We are excited about this opportunity to grow National Geographic’s mission and reach, and we look forward to working with the publishing team at ADMC to bring National Geographic in Arabic to readers throughout the Middle East.”

“National Geographic Al Arabiya is a natural extension of our existing partnership with National Geographic,” said Edward Borgerding, CEO of ADMC. “Through our joint television channel National Geographic Abu Dhabi, and a production partnership with our film subsidiary Imagenation Abu Dhabi, ADMC and National Geographic are working together to bring smart, informative entertainment to audiences across the region.”

Gavin Dickinson, ADMC’s executive director of publishing, added, “We believe our locally tailored offering will provide readers with a unique opportunity to engage with and learn about the region’s rich geography, habitats and anthropology. We hope National Geographic Al Arabiya will become a favourite source of education and enjoyment for families across the region.”

The new Arabic-language edition of National Geographic magazine will bring the number of local-language editions of the magazines to 33. Published in English since 1888, the magazine — the official journal of the National Geographic Society — currently appears in Japanese, Chinese (simple characters), Spanish (separate editions for Spain and Latin America), Italian, Greek, French, German, Polish, Korean, Portuguese (separate editions for Portugal and Brazil), to name but a few of the local-language editions.