language television news station. Launched on March 3, 2003, the station is based in Dubai Media City, United Arab Emirates, and is partly owned by the Saudi broadcaster Middle East Broadcasting Center (MBC). A free-to-air channel, Al Arabiya carries news, current affairs, business and financial markets, sports, talk shows, and documentaries. It is rated among the top pan-Arab stations by Middle East audiences. On Jan. 26, 2009 US president Barack Obama gave his first formal interview as president to the television channel. __