The Daily Star - A Short History

Founded in June 1952, to serve the growing number of expatriates lured by the oil industry, The Daily Star initially circulated in Lebanon but rapidly spread its wings to cover most of the Arab world. Its publisher, Kamel Mrowa, already owner and editor-in-chief of the successful Arabic daily Al-Hayat, not only wanted to relay news of their own countries to expatriates but also to introduce the region to non-Arabic readers. His vision made The Daily Star the leading English language newspaper in the Middle East throughout the 60s.

That tradition was continued after his death in 1966 by his widow, Salma Elbissar, until the outbreak of war forced the suspension of publication. The paper offices and press were in the middle of what became a battlefield.

At the beginning of 1983, when hopes of a permanent cessation of hostilities were high, Kamel's eldest son, Jamil, aided by his two brothers Malek and Karim, planned a re-launch of the paper. Republication started in November of that year but the prospects for the paper -- and the country -- suffered a devastating blow on February 6 of 1984 when the civil war intensified.

The flight from the country of many of the intelligentsia robbed the paper of half its staff and many of its readers. Despite that, The Daily Star continued as a daily newspaper until mid-1985 and as a weekly for 12 months after that, until the continuing war again forced its suspension.

After the onset of peace in 1991 and establishment of a master plan to rebuild the country three years later, Jamil Mroue was determined to start again. In 1996,as the paper recommenced publishing, Mroue introduced state-of-the-art technology into the Middle East , imported experienced journalists from abroad, recruited a dynamic, young Lebanese team and iced the cake with editorial services previously unknown to indigenous papers.

The end of 2010 saw The Daily Star acquired by new investors determined to raise the bar in order for the paper to continue its evolution and development in harmony with global media trends and advanced technology. The Daily Star, in this regard, sped up its reconstruction program, recruiting more professionals and young talent to enhance the newsroom and spread the source of coverage regionally and internationally.