Last updated · reviewed by the Essentras editorial team
Press release distribution by country
Press release distribution in the UAE and Dubai: wires, prices and outlets
In the UAE you send a press release through a wire such as AETOSWire or PR Newswire, which quote, through a self-serve portal such as Dubai PR Network from $60, or you pay a named outlet to publish it. Essentras lists 48 UAE outlets, median $4,667.50. UAE media law requires ads to be clearly identified.
Sources: each wire's own page, the National Media Authority, the UAE legislation portal, u.ae and 48 UAE listings in the Essentras API
What you will do
- See what the UAE wires and portals publish about price today, and which ones only quote.
- Check 17 named titles with price, turnaround and label, including the press release pages of Khaleej Times and Gulf News.
- Pick 1 of 3 baskets quoted today ($2,250.90, $7,856.10 or $16,949.70) or build your own.
- Identify ads the way UAE media law requires, and know the fines.
- Time the release for the UAE week and plan for Arabic.
Start here in 1 click
Every UAE listing sorted by price, the Khaleej Times press release page, and a free shortlist. None needs an account.
UAE outlets, cheapest first
Every UAE listing with its price, turnaround, link policy and label, before you pay.
- Listings
- 48
- Median price
- $4,667.50
- At $500 or less
- 3
- Run a label
- 8 of 48
Khaleej Times: Press Release
$2,727
- Turnaround
- 1 to 2 weeks
- Label
- Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label.
- Link
- Dofollow
AI Match: a shortlist for your release
Free. Describe your company in 1 sentence and get a ranked list of UAE and global outlets, with the price next to each.
Paid placements are paid: they are not earned coverage, and each runs with the label its listing states. Counts and prices from the public API, 4 Nov 2026.
UAE wires
Press release distribution services in the UAE and what they charge
UAE wires send your release to newsrooms across the Gulf, often in English and Arabic; editors decide on coverage. The big wires quote; a few Dubai portals publish prices. Here is what each publishes, read on 4 Nov 2026.
| Service | What it says it does | Published price |
|---|---|---|
| AETOSWire | Business Wire's partner in the region; in-house translators translate releases from the source language. | No published price: quote |
| ZAWYA (LSEG) | Takes press releases by email; an Arabic desk handles Arabic content. | No published price |
| PR Newswire (Cision MENA) | Middle East circuits, with a Dubai contact line. | No published price: quote form |
| Business Wire | Middle East distribution through its partnership with AETOSWire; translation into 70+ languages. | No Middle East price; it publishes US prices only |
| Dubai PR Network | Dubai portal that posts prepaid content, typically within a couple of business days. | $60 (AED 220) with 1 image; $100 (AED 366) with several; $250 (AED 1,100) with 1 dofollow link; $300 (AED 1,300) for niche content |
| Arab Newswire | Network distribution across MENA sites, operated by GroupWeb Media LLC. | $299 (500 words, up to 50 sites), $599 (2 countries), $1,200 (MENA Plus); $199 per extra language |
| Mubasher | Financial news portal with an advertising contact form. | No published price |
- Read on each vendor's own page on 4 Nov 2026. Business Wire's Middle East page returned 403, so it was read in an Internet Archive copy of 1 Oct 2026.
- ME NewsWire no longer operates under that name: it was renamed AETOSWire in 2018, and its old domain is for sale.
- Dubai PR Network's advertising page shows a second, different rate table; check the rate before you pay.
UAE outlets
UAE news sites you can publish on, with price, turnaround and label
A paid placement buys an article on 1 named site, at the price and with the label its listing states. Essentras lists 48 UAE outlets; 40 state no label, 6 a sponsored or partner label and 2 a discreet disclosure. Below: the whole set in numbers, then 17 titles, cheapest first.
| Measure | UAE listings |
|---|---|
| Listings | 48 |
| Price range | $417 to $85,750 |
| Median price | $4,667.50 (middle 50% of listings: $2,667 to $5,000) |
| At $500 or less | 3 |
| At $2,500 or less | 11 |
| Label | 40 state no label, 6 a sponsored or partner label and 2 a discreet disclosure |
| Stated turnaround | 8 in business days, 21 in 1 week, 19 in up to 3 weeks, 0 in up to 4 weeks, 0 in more than 4 weeks |
| Dofollow link | 31 of 48 |
- Turnaround is counted in business days, paused while we are waiting on you, plus a 3 business day grace period, as every listing states it.
- The country is the country field of each listing in the API. A few listings under a country are niche or regional sites; the named table below shows news and business titles.
| Outlet | Price | Turnaround | Label, as the listing states it | Link | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai Weekly | $417 | 3 business days | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Dofollow | |
| Arabian Startup | $417 | 1 business day | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Dofollow | |
| Mid East Info | $457 | 3 to 5 business days | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Dofollow | |
| Mena FN | $1,667 | 3 to 5 business days | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Dofollow | Arabic and English |
| IB Times (UAE) | $2,167 | 1 to 2 weeks | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Nofollow | |
| Rolling Stone (MENA) | $2,500 | 1 to 2 weeks | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Dofollow | |
| Khaleej Times: Press Release | $2,727 | 1 to 2 weeks | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Dofollow | Press release page |
| Trade Arabia | $3,333 | 1 week | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Dofollow | |
| Gulf News: Press Release | $4,335 | 1 to 2 weeks | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Dofollow | Press release page |
| Arabian Business | $5,000 | 1 to 2 weeks | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Nofollow | |
| Entrepreneur (Middle East) | $5,000 | 1 week | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Dofollow | |
| Esquire Middle East | $5,000 | 1 to 2 weeks | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Nofollow | |
| Gulf Business | $8,833 | 1 week | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Dofollow | |
| ZAWYA | $11,357 | 3 to 7 business days | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Dofollow | Arabic and English |
| Campaign Middle East | $14,167 | 1 week | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Dofollow | |
| What's On Middle East | $22,500 | 1 week | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Dofollow | |
| Forbes Middle East | $85,750 | 1 to 2 weeks | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Nofollow |
- Every listing: Published or your money back. Refund or free re-placement if the turnaround is missed, counted in business days with a grace period.
- The Khaleej Times and Gulf News listings are for their press release pages. The API files a few Gulf titles from outside the UAE under the UAE; they are left out here. The full list is in the publisher directory.
Quoted today
3 UAE baskets, priced by the quote API
Each basket was priced as a whole on the read date, so the total includes the volume discount the API applied. Use a basket as is or as a starting point.
| Basket | Outlets (price each) | Subtotal | Discount | Total quoted | Cart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai starterA Dubai weekly, a startup news site and a regional business news site | Dubai Weekly ($417), Arabian Startup ($417), Mena FN ($1,667) | $2,501 | -$250.10 (10% volume discount) | $2,250.90 | Add all 3 to cart |
| Khaleej Times and Gulf NewsThe press release pages of both English dailies, plus Mena FN | Khaleej Times: Press Release ($2,727), Gulf News: Press Release ($4,335), Mena FN ($1,667) | $8,729 | -$872.90 (10% volume discount) | $7,856.10 | Add all 3 to cart |
| Business titlesRegional business magazines for a launch or a funding round | Arabian Business ($5,000), Gulf Business ($8,833), Entrepreneur (Middle East) ($5,000) | $18,833 | -$1,883.30 (10% volume discount) | $16,949.70 | Add all 3 to cart |
- Totals from POST /api/agent/v1/quote on 4 Nov 2026. A quote reserves nothing and charges nothing; the cart shows the same total.
- Volume discount, as the API states it: Buy 3 or more placements for 10% off the basket, 5 or more for 15%.
- Refund terms on every listing: Refunded if not published, or if the turnaround is missed.
- Dubai starter: 3 no label, as each listing states it.
- Khaleej Times and Gulf News: 3 no label, as each listing states it.
- Business titles: 3 no label, as each listing states it.
Media law on ads
The UAE rule on labelling paid content
In the UAE the rule is law, not a voluntary code: the federal media law and its executive regulation require ads to be identified, and a cabinet resolution sets the fines. The UAE Media Council's website now serves the National Media Authority's site.
| Rule | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Decree-Law No. 55 of 2023, Article 20(2) | Advertising material must include something that explicitly and clearly indicates that it is advertising. | UAE media law (Arabic text on nma.gov.ae; English on the UAE legislation portal) |
| Cabinet Resolution No. 68 of 2024, Article 33(6) | "Advertisements shall be clearly identified, distinct, and separate from other editorial and media content." | Executive regulation of the media law |
| Article 33(7) | The advertiser must clearly disclose any material return or commercial relationship behind the content. | Executive regulation of the media law |
| Article 33(10) | Ads for real estate, health, securities and finance, education and food need prior approval from the authority for that sector. | Executive regulation of the media law |
| Cabinet Resolution No. 42 of 2025 | Fines: AED 20,000 for a first breach of the Article 33 advertising rules, AED 50,000 for a second, doubled for repeats; AED 10,000 for an ad without a required approval. | Violations and fines table, National Media Authority's site |
What this means for a paid placement in the UAE
A paid article must be identifiable as advertising, and sector news (property, health, finance, education, food) may need approval first. Of the 48 UAE listings, 6 state a sponsored or partner label and 2 a discreet disclosure. For promotional copy, choose a labelled listing or put the label in your brief and confirm it before you pay. This is not legal advice; a UAE lawyer can check a regulated sector.
Week, time and Arabic
The UAE week, time zone and Arabic: when and how to send
The UAE is on UTC+4 all year, with no daylight saving. Since 2022 the federal government works Monday to Thursday and Friday until noon, with Saturday and Sunday off; most private companies close only on Sundays.
| City | Local time | Offset today |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai and Abu Dhabi | 10:00 | UTC+4 |
| London | 06:00 | UTC+0 (GMT) |
| Mumbai | 11:30 | UTC+5:30 |
| Sydney | 17:00 | UTC+11 (daylight saving until 4 Apr 2027) |
| Toronto and Montreal | 01:00 | UTC-5 |
- Sources: u.ae and Visit Abu Dhabi (UAE time), gov.uk, CSIR-NPL, the governments of New South Wales and Quebec, and CP24 for Ontario (30 Oct 2026). All read 4 Nov 2026.
Send Monday to Thursday
The federal government works Monday to Thursday, 7.30am to 3.30pm, and Friday to noon. Sharjah's government works Monday to Thursday only. A Monday to Thursday morning release avoids the short Friday.
Mind the holidays
2 and 3 December are public holidays for National Day, so a release planned for early December should go out before them or after.
Arabic is the official language
Arabic is the official language of the UAE. Send Arabic media an Arabic version written for them; AETOSWire translates in house, and Arab Newswire charges $199 per extra language.
Paid placements run on their own clock
29 of the 48 UAE listings state 1 week or less, counted in business days, paused while we are waiting on you, plus a 3 business day grace period. Khaleej Times: Press Release, for example, states 1 to 2 weeks.
Which route
Wire, portal, paid placement or pitching: which route fits a UAE release
The routes buy different things. You can send through a regional wire for reach and add an article on a named title.
| Route | What you get | Cost | Who decides if it runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regional wire | Your release sent to Gulf newsrooms, in English and Arabic | Quote at AETOSWire, PR Newswire and ZAWYA | Editors decide on coverage |
| Portal post | Your release posted on a portal and its partner sites | From $60 (AED 220) at Dubai PR Network; from $299 at Arab Newswire | The portal posts it as submitted content |
| Paid placement | An article on 1 named site, with writing available, a draft to review and a live link | From $417; median $4,667.50 across 48 UAE listings | You buy the slot and review the draft. The listing states: Published or your money back. Refund or free re-placement if the turnaround is missed, counted in business days with a grace period. |
| Pitching journalists | Earned coverage, if a journalist picks the story | Your time, or an agency fee | The journalist and the editor; nothing can be bought |
Dubai media coverage without a retainer Abu Dhabi media coverage How to distribute a press release
Step by step
How to distribute a press release in the UAE, step by step
1. Check whether your sector needs approval
Property, health, finance, education and food ads need prior approval from the sector authority under Article 33(10).
2. Write English and Arabic versions
A dateline such as "DUBAI, UAE", amounts in dirhams, a quote from a named person, and an Arabic version written for Arabic media.
3. Choose the wire or portal
Ask AETOSWire, PR Newswire or ZAWYA for a quote for the circuit you need, or use a portal with a published price for a simple post.
4. Pick named outlets for the article
Filter the UAE listings by price, label and turnaround. For promotional copy, choose a labelled listing or ask for the label.
5. Send in the UAE morning, Monday to Thursday
UTC+4 all year. Avoid the Friday half day and the 2 and 3 December holidays.
6. Follow up and keep the proof
Answer journalists the same day. For paid placements, keep the live link and screenshot each listing provides.
Templates
Copy-ready UAE release header, pitch and placement brief
Replace everything in square brackets. Have the Arabic version written by an Arabic writer, not machine translated.
UAE release header, English and Arabic
The first lines of a release for a UAE wire or newsroom.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE للنشر الفوري [Headline: what happened, in under 12 words] [العنوان بالعربية] [CITY], UAE, [Date] [Month] [Year]: [Company], [what it does in 6 words], today [announced / launched / reported] [the news in 1 sentence, with the number that matters, in AED]. "[Quote from a named person.]" said [Name], [Title] at [Company]. Media contact: [Name], [Email], [+971 phone number], available [hours] UAE time (UTC+4) Arabic media contact: [Name], [Email]
Pitch email to a UAE journalist
For a reporter who covers your sector. Send it Monday to Thursday morning, UAE time.
Subject: [The news in under 10 words] ([Sector], [Emirate]) Hi [First name], [1 sentence: the news and the number behind it.] Why your readers: [1 sentence linking it to a story they ran, or to a UAE trend they cover]. I can offer [an interview with Name, in English or Arabic / the data / photos] today. The release is below, in English and Arabic. [Your name] [Phone]
Brief for a paid UAE placement
What to send with a paid placement order, so the article runs identified as advertising and on time.
Outlet: [listing name] Label: [the label the listing states, or the wording you need, such as "Advertisement"] Sector approval: [not needed / reference number] Language: [English / Arabic] Angle: [the news in 1 sentence] Key facts: [3 facts with sources] Quote: [1 quote from a named person] Link: [1 URL] Deadline: [date], counted from the order in business days Approver: [name and email]
Often added to UAE distribution, and cheaper ways to start
Optional. You can do everything on this page without any of these.
Often added
The Guaranteed 7 (US reach)
From $999
For a launch that needs US reach as well as UAE coverage: your story on 7 named US outlets, including MSN, USA Today and AP News. Published on all 7, or your money back.
See the Guaranteed 7AI Visibility Tracker
$49 a month
Checks every week whether AI assistants mention your brand, so you can see what the coverage changed.
Track AI mentions
Not ready yet?
Press Monthly
$97 a month
1 press placement every month. The outlet is matched to your niche and shown to you before anyone writes.
See Press MonthlyAI Match shortlist
Free
Describe your company in 1 sentence and get a ranked list of outlets that fit, with the price next to each.
Get my free shortlistFree press release distribution
Free
The free routes that still work, what they reach and where they stop.
Read the free guide
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much does press release distribution cost in the UAE?▾
The regional wires quote: AETOSWire, PR Newswire and ZAWYA publish no price. Dubai PR Network posts from $60 (AED 220) and Arab Newswire from $299 (read 4 Nov 2026). A paid article on a named UAE site costs $417 to $85,750 in the Essentras catalog, median $4,667.50.
What is the best press release distribution service in Dubai?▾
It depends on the job. For reach across Gulf newsrooms in English and Arabic, AETOSWire (Business Wire's partner) and PR Newswire are the established wires, both on quote. For an article on a named title such as Khaleej Times or Gulf News, a paid placement buys the exact page, price and label up front.
Does a paid article in the UAE need a label?▾
Yes. Article 33(6) of the media law's executive regulation says ads must be clearly identified and separate from editorial content, and breaches can be fined AED 20,000 the first time. Each Essentras listing states its label before you pay.
Do I need an Arabic version of my press release?▾
For Arabic media, yes in practice: Arabic is the official language of the UAE. AETOSWire translates in house, and Arab Newswire charges per extra language. English-language titles take English releases.
When should I send a press release in the UAE?▾
Monday to Thursday morning, UAE time (UTC+4, no daylight saving). The federal government works only until noon on Friday and is off on Saturday and Sunday; 2 and 3 December are National Day holidays.
How fast do paid placements go live in the UAE?▾
Each listing states its own window. 29 of the 48 UAE listings state 1 week or less, counted in business days, paused while we are waiting on you, plus a 3 business day grace period.
Can UAE coverage be guaranteed?▾
Not by a wire or a pitch: editors decide. A paid placement is bought, and its only guarantee is the refund. Every listing states: Published or your money back. Refund or free re-placement if the turnaround is missed, counted in business days with a grace period.
Next steps
- 01
Check your sector
Property, health, finance, education and food ads may need approval first.
- 02
Pick the route
A regional wire for reach, a paid placement for a named UAE title, or both.
- 03
Prepare English and Arabic
An Arabic version written for Arabic media.
- 04
Send Monday to Thursday
In the UAE morning, UTC+4, with the label agreed before you pay.
Browse UAE outlets with live prices
48 UAE listings, each with its price, turnaround, link policy and label stated before you pay.
Browse UAE outlets Compare other countriesChecked on . Wire pages, the media law texts and the time and week pages were read that day. Essentras prices, labels and basket totals come from the public API on the same day.
Sources
- AETOSWire, news distribution (read 4 Nov 2026)
- ZAWYA, contact us (read 4 Nov 2026)
- Cision, request pricing (read 4 Nov 2026)
- Business Wire, Middle East distribution (Internet Archive copy of 1 Oct 2026; live page 403 on 4 Nov 2026)
- Business Wire, ME NewsWire rebrands as AETOSWire, 12 Jun 2018 (read 4 Nov 2026)
- Dubai PR Network, submit a press release (read 4 Nov 2026)
- Arab Newswire, submit a press release (read 4 Nov 2026)
- Mubasher, advertise (read 4 Nov 2026)
- National Media Authority, legislation (read 4 Nov 2026)
- Federal Decree-Law No. 55 of 2023 Regulating Media, English text (Internet Archive copy of 11 Sep 2026; live portal 403 on 4 Nov 2026)
- Cabinet Resolution No. 68 of 2024, executive regulation of the media law (Internet Archive copy; live portal 403 on 4 Nov 2026)
- Cabinet Resolution No. 42 of 2025, violations and fines, Arabic PDF (read 4 Nov 2026)
- u.ae, UAE fact sheet (read 4 Nov 2026)
- u.ae, working hours in the public sector (read 4 Nov 2026)
- Visit Abu Dhabi, FAQs (read 4 Nov 2026)
- Essentras public API, UAE listings (read 4 Nov 2026)
Prices, rules and terms change. Check each source before you buy. This page is general information, not legal advice. Paid placements are advertising bought from the outlet and run with the label each listing states.