Saudi Arabia is to lease a transponder from the Arab Satellite Communications Organisation (Arabsat) to broadcast state satellite television channels, according to Arab News. The announcement was made by Saudi culture and information minister Abdul Aziz Khoja. The decision authorises the Audio-Visual Media Authority to establish the satellite platform for the transmission of TV programmes […]
Saudi Arabia is to lease a transponder from the Arab Satellite Communications Organisation (Arabsat) to broadcast state satellite television channels, according to Arab News. The announcement was made by Saudi culture and information minister Abdul Aziz Khoja. The decision authorises the Audio-Visual Media Authority to establish the satellite platform for the transmission of TV programmes and to coordinate with Arabsat and other relevant agencies to carry out the project.
Along with Saudi TV, the country’s television market is currently dominated by free-to-air satellite networks MBC, Rotana, and Dubai TV with pay-TV operators OSN and Al Jazeera Sport also beginning to make significant inroads.
Private television stations are not allowed to operate from within the Kingdom, however Saudi investors are behind the Dubai-based MBC and OSN networks, while Rotana which broadcasts pan-regional free-to-air TV channels including Cinema, Khalijiah, Masryiah, Clip, Musica, Aflam, Classic and LBC is owned by Saudi billionaire Prince Al Waleed bin Talal.
