Al-Ahram
Egypt's oldest surviving daily newspaper of record.
**Al-Ahram (Arabic: الأهرام, meaning "The Pyramids")** is Egypt’s most widely circulated daily newspaper and the second-oldest in the country, after *Al-Waqa'i' al-Misriyya* (founded in 1828). First published on 5 August 1876, it is majority-owned by the Egyptian government and is regarded as a newspaper of record for Egypt. Its influence extends beyond news: because of the many varieties of Arabic, *Al-Ahram* is widely seen as a benchmark for Arabic writing style. In 1950, the Middle East Institute compared its role in the Arabic-reading world to that of *The Times* for English readers or *The New York Times* for Americans. However, the paper has frequently faced accusations of heavy government influence and censorship.
The newspaper was founded in Alexandria by two Lebanese Melkite Christian brothers, Beshara Takla and Saleem Takla. It began as a weekly, published every Saturday, with its first issue appearing on 5 August 1876. In January 1881 it was relaunched as a daily. Its headquarters remained in Alexandria until November 1899, when it moved to Cairo. For a time, separate Cairo and Alexandria editions existed, but eventually only one edition was produced from the new headquarters. The paper was distributed in Egypt and the Levant. Early contributors included the religious reformers Muhammad Abduh and Jamal al-Din al-Afghani. After Beshara Takla’s death, Lebanese journalist Daud Barakat became editor in 1901. In the early 1920s, Syrian journalist Muhib Al Din Al Khatib served as editor.
Under President Gamal Abdel Nasser, the paper gained semi-official status when his friend Mohamed Hassanein Heikal was appointed editor-in-chief in 1957. On 24 May 1960, *Al-Ahram* was nationalized under a law that eliminated private newspaper ownership. During Nasser’s era, it became internationally respected. In the 1960s, it moved to a new headquarters in Bulaq. Heikal was known for demanding high production quality; in 1965 he contacted Linotype to acquire state-of-the-art Elektron linecasters. Circulation grew from 45,000–50,000 copies in 1937 to 90,000 in 1947, and reached 520,000 in 1976, making it Egypt’s second-most-read daily after *Al Akhbar*. By 2000, circulation stood at 1.2 million copies.
*Al-Ahram* daily is the flagship of the Al-Ahram publishing house, the largest in Egypt. Its headquarters are in Boulaq, Cairo, and its content was controlled by the Egyptian Ministry of Information. The paper publishes several editions: a pan-Arab Arabic-language edition, *Al Ahram Al Arabiya*, aimed at readers in the Arab world and Egyptian expatriates there, printed daily in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE, and distributed in Egypt and the Persian Gulf states. An Arabic weekly, *Al Ahram Al Arabi*, launched in 1997, is also part of the publishing house. An international Arabic edition, *Al Ahram al Duwali*, has been published daily in London since 1984, printed in both London and Paris, and distributed across Europe, the USA, Canada, and Egypt. Two foreign-language weeklies exist: the English *Al-Ahram Weekly* (founded 1991) and the French *Al-Ahram Hebdo*. The paper also runs a continuously updated English-language news website, Ahram Online, and an Arabic news website that was the 20th most visited site in the MENA region in 2010. Forbes Middle East named it the most popular news portal in the Arab world from 31 August 2011 to 31 August 2012.
*Al-Ahram* is owned by the Al-Ahram Foundation, which is managed by the Egyptian government’s Supreme Council of Press. It is one of the world’s largest-circulating newspapers. Long-time editor Mohamed Hassanein Heikal was a confidant of Nasser and served as a semi-official voice of the Egyptian government. The government holds a controlling share of the paper’s stock and appoints its editors. Because these editors are state appointees, little direct censorship is applied; it is understood they are loyal to the state. Under President Hosni Mubarak, *Al-Ahram* largely ignored or trivialized opposition parties to the ruling National Democratic Party and published little direct criticism of the government. In a 2005 review, the Anti-Defamation League stated that the paper is given substantial leeway as long as it avoids certain taboos. That same year, Reporters Without Borders noted that editorials in many newspapers, including *Al-Ahram*, had become increasingly critical of the National Democratic Party’s control and the corruption of the Mubarak regime. In an interview with the organization, Abdel Halim Qandil, editor of the weekly *Al-Arabi*, said the government interfered with *Al-Ahram*’s independent operation by controlling the printing presses and appointing editors. In September 2010, the paper sparked controversy when Egyptian blogger Wael Khalil revealed that it had altered a photo of Middle East leaders walking with U.S. President Barack Obama, moving President Mubarak from the rearmost position to the front. Editor-in-chief Osama Saraya defended the alteration, saying it was meant to underscore Egypt’s role.
- Founders
- Bishara Takla and Salim Takla
Lore & Background
Al-Ahram, founded in Alexandria in 1876 by two Lebanese Melkite Christian brothers, began as a weekly newspaper before becoming a daily in 1881. Its headquarters moved from Alexandria to Cairo in 1899. Early contributors included the religious reformer Muhammad Abduh. The paper was nationalized in 1960 under President Gamal Abdel Nasser, after which it gained semi-official status and international respect under editor Mohamed Hassanein Heikal. Al-Ahram is considered a newspaper of record for Egypt and is widely regarded as an influential arbiter of Arabic writing style. Its main edition is published in Cairo, with additional Arabic editions for the Arab world and an international audience, as well as English and French weekly editions. The paper is majority-owned by the Egyptian government, which appoints its editors, and its content has historically been subject to state influence and censorship. Circulation grew from roughly 45,000–50,000 copies in 1937 to 1.2 million by 2000. In 2010, the paper sparked controversy for altering a photograph to place Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in a more prominent position than U.S. President Barack Obama.
Reader's Guide
Al-Ahram was founded in Alexandria in 1876 by two Lebanese brothers, initially as a weekly before becoming a daily in 1881. Its headquarters moved to Cairo in 1899. Early contributors included the religious thinkers Muhammad Abduh and Jamal al-Din al-Afghani. The paper gained semi-official status under President Gamal Abdel Nasser, who appointed his confidant Mohamed Hassanein Heikal as editor-in-chief in 1957 and nationalized it in 1960. Under Heikal, Al-Ahram became internationally respected and moved to a new headquarters in Bulaq. Its circulation grew from around 50,000 copies in 1937 to 1.2 million by 2000. The newspaper is the flagship of Egypt’s largest publishing house and is majority owned by the Egyptian government, which appoints its editors through the Supreme Council of Press. While editors are given leeway, they are understood to be loyal to the state; under President Hosni Mubarak, the paper largely ignored opposition parties and avoided direct criticism of the government. Al-Ahram is widely considered an influential source of Arabic writing style. In 1950, the Middle East Institute compared its role to that of *The Times* for English readers. It publishes multiple editions, including pan-Arab and international Arabic versions, as well as English and French weeklies. In 2010, the paper sparked controversy by altering a photograph of world leaders with U.S. President Barack Obama to place Mubarak in front.
Origins in Alexandria and the Birth of a Daily
The name, meaning "The Pyramids," immediately anchored the paper in Egyptian identity. The paper's early pages attracted prominent religious and intellectual voices, including Muhammad Abduh and Jamal al-Din al-Afghani, whose contributions helped shape its editorial character. Distribution stretched across Egypt and the Levant, giving it a regional reach uncommon for its era.
The Heikal Era and the Road to Nationalization
Two years later, on 24 May 1960, Nasser's law eliminating private newspaper ownership formally nationalized the paper, cementing its government-aligned status. Under Heikal's stewardship, the publication earned international respect and relocated to a new headquarters in Bulaq during the 1960s.
A Global Publishing Ecosystem
Beyond its Egyptian daily, Al-Ahram has built a sprawling multilingual publishing operation that reaches readers across the Arab world and the broader international community. The pan-Arab edition, Al Ahram Al Arabiya, is published daily in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE, and distributed throughout Egypt and the Persian Gulf states, targeting both Arab readers and Egyptian expatriates.
State Influence, Censorship, and Controversy
Al-Ahram's ownership structure places it firmly under Egyptian government control. The paper is held by the Al-Ahram Foundation, managed by the state's Supreme Council of Press, and the government holds a controlling share of its stocks while appointing its editors. Because these editors are state appointees, formal censorship is minimal; their loyalty to the government is assumed. Under President Hosni Mubarak, the paper largely ignored and trivialized opposition parties to the ruling National Democratic Party, offering little direct criticism of the regime. President Barack Obama, repositioning Mubarak from the rearmost spot to the front. Editor-in-chief Osama Saraya defended the edit as an "expressionist" nod to Egypt's role in the Palestinian peace process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Al-Ahram?
The Egyptian government holds a majority ownership stake in the newspaper, which gives it an official status within the country's media landscape.
Why is Al-Ahram important to Arabic-language journalism?
Beyond its circulation, Al-Ahram has long set the benchmark for formal Arabic prose and editorial style. Its influence extends well beyond Egypt, shaping how serious Arabic-language writing is structured and phrased.
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