KSA’s Al-Ekhbariya TV to have private sector on board

Local Arabic TV channel, Al-Ekhbariya will be transformed into a limited liability company called the Ekhbariya Network Company, following a decision by  the Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Awwad Al-Awwad, according to an official statement by the channel.

The channel is government-owned and run by the Ministry of Culture and Information, along with other channels that are part of the Saudi Television network.

Launched on 11 January 2004, the channel’s aim was to present “a new image of the Gulf Arab state” to the wider region and the world. After the hiring of several Saudi women, its first bulletin was read by the kingdom’s first female news presenter. Correspondents are based across the Middle East, Europe and America to provide coverage of news stories from around the world.

Al-Awad stressed, in the official release, that the move comes within the context of the Ministry’s initiatives to achieve the vision of the Kingdom 2030 to enable its various institutions to cope with rapid developments taking place in the media sector in the region .

“We have established media institutions in the Kingdom, and we work with them to empower them and provide them with all the support they need to convey the Kingdom’s message to the world using the latest technologies that will enable our media to compete professionally and commercially.”

Following the current move, the company will be jointly owned by the Radio and Television Corporation and Saudi Press Agency.

As per media reports, the move is aimed towards upgrading the Arabic language news channel and launching an English language news channel.

Ekhbariya Network Company will be run by a 7-member board, with an executive bureau, with three members representing the Ministry of Culture and Information, two independent members representing the private sector and two members each representing the Radio and TV Corporation and Saudi Press Agency (SPA).