For the purposes of implementing the provisions of this Decree by Law, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned to each of them, unless the context requires otherwise:
State: The United Arab Emirates.
Authority: The National Media Authority.
Chairman: The Chairman of the Authority.
Secretary-General: The Secretary-General of the Authority.
Any other terms and expressions used in this Decree by Law shall have the meanings assigned thereto in Federal Decree by Law No. (55) of 2023 Regarding the Regulation of Media, unless the context otherwise requires.

Pursuant to the provisions of this Decree by Law, a federal public authority named the “National Media Authority” shall be established. The Authority shall report to the Cabinet, and shall enjoy legal personality, as well as financial and administrative independence, and shall have the legal capacity necessary to undertake all acts and legal transactions required to achieve its objectives and exercise its competences.

The headquarters of the Authority shall be in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. By a decision of the Chairman, branches or offices of the Authority may be established inside or outside the State.

The Authority shall exercise the following competences:
1. Proposing the State’s strategic media directions and public media messages, coordinating with media entities in the State to ensure the unification of such directions and messages, the alignment of media policies at the federal and local levels, the unification of the State’s media discourse domestically and internationally, and submitting them to the Cabinet for approval.
2. Proposing and preparing policies, legislation, and strategies relating to the regulation and development of the national media sector in the State, enhancing the State’s name and reputation, and addressing media crises faced by the State, in coordination with the concerned authorities, and supervising their implementation after approval by the Cabinet.
3. Proposing legislation, regulations, standards, and principles necessary to regulate and license media outlets and media activities, including electronic media and electronic publishing, including those operating in free zones, and supervising their implementation after approval by the Cabinet.
4. Setting media content standards in coordination with the concerned authorities.
5. Monitoring and following up on media content of all printed, published, or broadcast materials within the State, including free zones, as well as information relating to public opinion trends regarding the State, analyzing them, and undertaking the necessary procedures in accordance with the legislation in force in the State.
6. Preparing, evaluating, and monitoring the State’s media narrative and contributing to enhancing its positive image.
7. Developing and implementing programs, mechanisms, and measures necessary to manage media crises faced by the State, proposing appropriate solutions to address or contain them in coordination with the concerned authorities, and working to develop professional capabilities, mechanisms, and applications that support the State’s media ecosystem for the early detection of emerging crises arising from digital media threats, negative media content, and/or media misinformation.
8. Providing support and advice to concerned authorities in all matters relating to media affairs to contribute to raising national awareness and providing appropriate information to address media crises.
9. Registering and accrediting media professionals and correspondents of foreign media outlets in the State, including those operating in free zones.
10. Developing strategic partnerships with regional and international media institutions.
11. Developing the Emirates News Agency - WAM as one of the Authority’s sectors and as the official channel for supporting the dissemination, distribution, and translation of officially approved State news.
12. Regulating transmission, broadcasting, redistribution, and use of news flows from various local, Arab, and international sources in line with the State’s media policy domestically and abroad, in a manner that supports and highlights the concept of national unity.
13. Providing press institutions, publishing houses, and news agencies with which it has contractual relations, as well as radio and television stations, subscribers from individuals, institutions, and social media platforms with local and international news, articles, reports, and images in accordance with best journalistic practices and professional ethics.
14. Processing, editing, and publishing news and journalistic materials in Arabic and English and any other required languages, and conducting linguistic proofreading thereof.
15. Receiving, collecting, and transmitting local and international news, images, and journalistic topics through a qualified network of correspondents.
16. Contracting with a global network of correspondents, establishing local and international offices in accordance with approvals, and supervising the conduct of their operations.
17. Managing and leading media delegations for official visits and coordinating them with the concerned authorities, in accordance with assignments issued by the Cabinet.
18. Archiving local and international news and journalistic topics, and selling news services and media content.
19. Training and qualifying national media cadres, particularly those engaged by the Authority in collecting and distributing news in multiple languages across various parts of the world.
20. Representing the State in media matters at all external and regional levels and at media conferences and events inside and outside the State, in accordance with assignments issued by the Cabinet and in coordination with the concerned authorities.
21.Establishing and organizing a comprehensive information and data base relating to the Authority’s competences, in coordination with the concerned authorities, and achieving integration therewith in the exchange of information and data.
22. Conducting specialized studies and research in fields related to the Authority’s competences, and analyzing phenomena, risks, and trends related to the State’s interests and spheres of concern.
23. Any other competences assigned thereto pursuant to laws, regulations, or Cabinet resolutions.

The Authority shall have a Chairman whose appointment and grade shall be determined by a Federal Decree. The Chairman shall be the supreme authority of the Authority and shall, in this capacity, have the following competences and duties:
1. Approving the general policy, strategic plan, and necessary programs and projects of the Authority.
2. Approving the system, regulations, and work plans necessary for the proper functioning of the Authority.
3. Approving the organizational structure of the Authority and submitting it to the Cabinet for approval.
4. Approving the draft annual budget and the draft final accounts of the Authority and submitting them to the Ministry of Finance to take the necessary action in accordance with the applicable legislation.
5. Approving the appointment of one or more external auditors, if necessary, and determining their fees.
6. Forming permanent or temporary committees and working teams to enable the Authority to perform its competences, and determining their duties and rules of procedure.
7. Approving the Authority’s human resources regulations and systems and submitting them to the Cabinet for approval.
8. Any other competences or powers conferred upon them pursuant to laws, regulations, or Cabinet resolutions.
The Authority shall have a Deputy Chairman whose appointment and grade shall be determined by a Federal Decree, who shall replace the Chairman in their absence or in the event of an impediment. The Chairman may delegate any of their competences or powers to the Deputy Chairman, provided that such delegation is in writing and specific.

1. The Authority may have a Board of Trustees consisting of not less than three (3) and not more than eight (8) members, including the Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Their appointment and the determination of their remuneration shall be determined by a Cabinet resolution.
2. The Board of Trustees shall provide advice and counsel to the Chairman of the Authority regarding all or some of their competences, and may submit proposals concerning policies, strategies, legislation, plans, regulations, standards, programs, projects, and activities managed or implemented by the Authority.
3. The Board of Trustees shall convene in accordance with the systems and by-laws approved by the Chairman of the Authority.
4. The Cabinet may assign the Board of Trustees to follow up on the performance of the Chairman of the Authority, the Deputy Chairman, and the Secretary-General whenever required by operational necessity.

The Authority shall have a Secretary-General whose appointment and grade shall be determined by a Federal Decree, upon the recommendation of the Chairman. The Secretary-General shall be accountable to the Chairman for the implementation of the Authority’s policies, strategies, legislation, and regulations, and for the proper conduct of its technical, administrative, and financial affairs. In particular, the Secretary-General shall:
1. Prepare the Authority’s policies, strategies, and programs, and supervise their implementation after approval.
2. Prepare draft laws, decrees, regulations, and resolutions relating to the organizational units reporting thereto and submit them to the Chairman to undertake the necessary procedures in respect thereof.
3. Prepare the Authority’s human resources regulations and systems and submit them to the Chairman.
4. Prepare the systems, regulations, and work plans necessary for the proper functioning of the Authority and submit them to the Chairman for approval.
5. Follow up on the implementation of plans, programs, projects, and activities supervised, managed, or implemented by the Authority.
6. Propose the organizational structure of the Authority and submit it to the Chairman for approval.
7. Supervise the preparation of the draft annual budget and the draft final accounts of the Authority, submit them to the Chairman for approval, and follow up on the implementation of the budget within the approved appropriations.
8. Supervise the organizational units reporting thereto, empower them, monitor their achievements and performance results, and propose the necessary systems and procedures to contribute to performance improvement and development.
9. Approve training and qualification plans and programs for the Authority’s administrative staff.
10. Represent the Authority in its relations with third parties and before the courts.
11. Submit periodic reports on the progress of work, achievements, and performance of the Authority to the Chairman.
12. Appoint employees and consultants and terminate their services in accordance with the applicable legislation.
13. Conclude contracts and agreements necessary to achieve the Authority’s objectives and competences in accordance with the applicable legislation.
14. Any other duties, competences, or powers conferred upon them pursuant to laws, regulations, or assigned thereto by the Chairman.
The Secretary-General may delegate some of their competences or powers to any senior employee of the Authority deemed appropriate, provided that such delegation is in writing, specific, and subject to the approval of the Chairman.

The Authority shall have an administrative body that assists the Chairman and the Secretary-General in exercising the competences vested in the Authority. The members thereof shall be appointed in accordance with the human resources legislation applicable to the Authority.
The main sectors of the Authority shall have Directors General appointed by Federal Decree upon the proposal of the Chairman of the Authority, and they shall report to the Secretary-General.

The financial resources of the Authority shall consist of:
1. Annual financial appropriations allocated to the Authority in the State’s general budget.
2. Gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and endowments (waqf) made to the Authority and accepted by the Chairman.
3. Any other resources generated by the Authority through the exercise of its competences.

The Authority’s funds shall be managed, and its financial and accounting affairs organized, in accordance with the applicable legislation and systems in force in the federal government.

The Fiscal year of the Authority shall commence on 1 January and end on 31 December of each year. The first Fiscal year of the Authority shall commence from the date of entry into force of this Decree by Law and shall end on 31 December of the following year.

1. The Authority shall be subject to the supervision of the UAE Accountability Authority and shall provide it with all data and information it requests relating to its activities.
2. The Authority may contract with one of the licensed auditors in the State, if necessary, to audit the Authority’s accounts in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

1. The Authority shall replace the UAE Media Council in exercising the competences assigned thereto under Federal Decree by Law No. (55) of 2023 regarding the Regulation of Media or any other legislation.
2. The Authority shall also replace the UAE Media Council, the National Media Office, and the Emirates News Agency - WAM in all competences, rights, and obligations, including those arising under any contracts, agreements, or memoranda of understanding.
3. The Authority may own or establish companies with limited liability or own shares or stakes therein, subject to the approval of the Cabinet.
4. Employees of the organizational units concerned with the Authority’s competences at the UAE Media Council, the National Media Office, and the Emirates News Agency - WAM shall be transferred to the Authority by a Cabinet decision, with the same grades, total salaries, and benefits applicable at the time of issuance of this Decree by Law. Their employment status shall be regularized in accordance with the systems and regulations in force at the Authority, and their service with the Authority shall be deemed continuous with their service at their previous employer.
5. Transferred employees shall continue to be subject to the same salary, allowance, bonus, reward, and pension systems applicable at the entities from which they were transferred, including continued registration with the same pension funds, until the Authority’s own regulations and systems are issued, without prejudice to their existing remuneration and entitlements.
6. All assets, properties, contracts, rights, obligations, appropriations, allocations, and financial budgets allocated to UAE Media Council, the National Media Office, and the Emirates News Agency - WAM shall be transferred to the Authority by a Cabinet resolution.

By way of exception to any provision in any other law, and in respect of matters not specifically provided for in this Decree by Law, the administrative and financial systems, employee affairs regulations, and pension laws applicable in the federal government, or those issued or determined by Cabinet resolutions, shall apply to the Authority and its employees, in the manner set forth in such resolutions.

The Cabinet shall, upon the recommendation of the Chairman, issue the resolutions necessary for the implementation of the provisions of this Decree by Law.

1. Federal Decree by Law No. (55) of 2022 establishing the National Media Office, Federal Decree by Law No. (57) of 2022 establishing the UAE Media Council, and the decision of the Vice President of the Cabinet and the Chairman of the Presidential Court No. (2) of 2021 regarding the Emirates News Agency (WAM) are hereby repealed.
2. Any provision that contradicts or conflicts with the provisions of this Decree by Law is hereby repealed.
3. Subject to the provisions of this Decree by Law, the resolutions and regulations in force at the National Media Office, the UAE Media Council, and the Emirates News Agency - WAM shall remain in force, to the extent that they do not conflict with the provisions of this Decree by Law, until the issuance of the resolutions and regulations that shall supersede them.

This Decree by Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall enter into force as of 1 January 2026.