Press & broadcasting
Osama Siblani
· newspaper publisher
Lebanese-born publisher who founded The Arab American News in Dearborn in 1984, the largest Arab American newspaper in the United States.
- Detroit years
- 1980s–
- Field
- Press & broadcasting
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Siblani came to Michigan from Lebanon and in September 1984 launched The Arab American News (Sada al-Watan), a bilingual Arabic and English weekly based in Dearborn. It grew into what is regarded as the largest Arab American newspaper in the country and a key voice of Metro Detroit's Arab community on local, national and Middle Eastern affairs. In 2010 Wayne State University honored him with its Spirit of Diversity in Journalism award, and in 2013 he was inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame. In 2014 his paper was featured in the Newseum's exhibit on ethnic media in Washington. He has also been an outspoken political commentator; remarks praising Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah at a 2024 Dearborn rally drew national criticism.
Highlights
- Founded The Arab American News in Dearborn, September 1984
- Spirit of Diversity in Journalism award, Wayne State, 2010
- Inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame, 2013
- His paper featured in a 2014 Newseum exhibit on ethnic media
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 1
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Founded · 1984–
The Arab American News
Bilingual Dearborn weekly founded by Siblani in 1984.