In Emirates, newspapers still a growth industry

Spacious and airy, the newsroom of the National seems a newfangled journalistic field of dreams, with its stylish furniture, flat-panel monitors and roomy, uncluttered desks. Though the new United Arab Emirates newspaper has a daily circulation of only 70,000 to 90,000, it has grand ambitions and leaders who are bullish on print journalism. Although most newspapers are laying off reporters and editors, the English-language National, which launched in April, has quickly built an editorial staff of about 240 reporters, stringers and editors, luring many from Western papers. Newland is a former editor of London's Daily Telegraph and the business editor is from the Wall Street Journal.