Tuesday 24 / February / 2026
Muscat: For 51 years, Times of Oman has been more than a newspaper. It has been a witness to history, a chronicler of transformation, and a steadfast storyteller of a nation that continues to evolve with confidence and clarity.
As the Sultanate charts its course through a dynamic global era, Times of Oman marked its 51st anniversary - an enduring milestone for the country’s oldest and longest-running English-language newspaper on Monday.
From its first edition on February 23, 1975 to its expansive digital footprint today, the publication has grown alongside Oman, reflecting its aspirations, achievements and ambitions.
The story of Times of Oman is inseparable from the foresight of its founder, the late Essa bin Mohammed Al Zedjali.
In the mid-1970s, a seemingly routine telex message requesting overflight permissions sparked a powerful realisation. The world, he felt, needed to better understand Oman as a sovereign nation with a distinct identity and voice.
What followed was not just the birth of a newspaper, but the beginning of a mission: to place Oman firmly on the global media map.
Through determination and personal sacrifice, the first English-language newspaper in the Sultanate was launched. The early decades were marked by financial strain and formidable challenges. Yet, while others faltered—including contemporaries that ceased publication within a short span—Times of Oman endured.
The founder’s belief in the power of information outweighed commercial concerns. He personally financed global subscriptions to international news agencies, ensured copies reached universities and libraries abroad, and even subsidised street sales in London—all to ensure that Oman’s story travelled far beyond its shores.
Chronicling a nation’s transformation
Over five decades, Times of Oman has documented Oman’s remarkable journey - from infrastructure growth and economic diversification to cultural renaissance and diplomatic outreach. It has offered context to global developments while remaining rooted in the local pulse of the Sultanate.
In 1993, the media family expanded with the launch of Al Shabiba, strengthening outreach to Arabic-speaking audiences and further reinforcing the group’s role in national discourse.
As technology reshaped media landscapes worldwide, Times of Oman remained ahead of the curve. In 1998, it became the first newspaper in the region to establish an online presence, offering downloadable editions long before digital publishing became mainstream. Social media integration and multimedia storytelling soon followed, ensuring relevance in a rapidly changing information ecosystem.
The launch of TFM in 2018 marked another significant step extending engagement to millions daily and diversifying platforms to meet evolving audience preferences.
In an era defined by instant information and digital noise, Times of Oman has remained committed to credibility, balance and responsibility. Its guiding principle has never been sensationalism, but service - to readers, to truth, and to the nation.
Today, as Oman advances under the framework of Vision 2040, the newspaper continues to align itself with national priorities: preserving cultural heritage, encouraging informed dialogue, and supporting sustainable development.
Remembering the founder
Each anniversary on February 23 is both a celebration and a moment of reflection. It is also a day to honour the enduring legacy of Essa bin Mohammed Al Zedjali, whose passing on this date in 2013 lends added poignancy to the occasion.
Fifty-one years on, the ink may have met the screen, and the pressroom may have expanded into digital studios—but the mission remains unchanged: to tell Oman’s story with integrity, pride and purpose.
As it turned 51 on Monday, Times of Oman stands not merely as a publication, but as a staple of Omani culture - rooted in the past, responsive to the present, and ready for the future.
