Arabic Website Sky News Arabia Arrives

Sky News Arabia, the Arabic language free-to-air rolling news channel, has launched the beta version of its news website.

The launch comes less than three weeks after the organisation moved to its studio complex in the heart of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Sky News Arabia is a joint venture between ADMIC, the Abu Dhabi Media Investment Corporation, and BSkyB, which runs Sky News.

The Arabic website covers breaking news and will publish daily news stories, picture galleries and videos produced by a dedicated team of multimedia journalists backed by a network of correspondents across the Middle East and North Africa, and around the world.

Deputy head of digital at Sky News Arabia Thair Soukar said: "The beta site is merely the initial phase of what is planned to be an outstanding breaking news website in Arabic, delivering content across multiple platforms, including iPad and smartphones.

"We want to build on the foundations of Sky News' own site producing video content, blogs, analysis, commentary, photo galleries and user generated content, as well as innovative user interaction and live streaming."

Sky News Arabia employs more than 300 people in the UAE and across its international bureaux network.

The full version of the website will be available once its television channel goes live in the spring.