The newly published Saudi press regulations focus on the organization, administration and ownership of press establishments. They deal with defining the employers’ relationship with the employees on the one hand and with the government on the other. The professionals in the field were aware of the nature of the new regulations beforehand.
While the new system satisfied those who demanded greater clarity in the relations between employees and employers in press establishments, it disappointed those who wished the regulations to serve as a manifesto of the journalistic profession in the Kingdom. They expected the new regulations to define what is allowed and what is not in a clearer manner. However, predetermined prohibitions and permissions will only make it more difficult to meet challenges in a constantly changing world.
The regulations for ownership of the print media have been allowed flexible interaction with market forces to guarantee continuity and technological development in the sector. In fact, the current nature of newspaper ownership has been identified as a major factor that hampers the growth of some establishments in the Kingdom. The new regulations have simplified the ownership procedures, allowing free expansion and growth. The smaller units will be pushed out of the market by larger establishments which will increase in size and profit unless the weaker units can take the necessary to withstand the movement of market forces.
The new regulations have apparently ignored the online publications or electronic newspapers, a significant section in the media not only in the Kingdom but also throughout the Arab world. The electronic news publications with their particular appeal to young people have been encroaching on the domain of the printed media. And soon a day will come when Internet newspapers will take away a large chunk of readers and ads from the printed media. Such an eventuality will obviously be a blow to traditional newspapers if they do not meet the challenges of online newspapers effectively. The Saudi online newspapers, which outnumber the printed media, will also be a challenge to the government’s press law. The electronic newspapers are run by career journalists or foreigners who are not bound by any regulation. These newspapers with not very large investments might eventually grow into huge establishments and become large sources of data and information. Online newspapers are not hampered by the Information Ministry’s insistence on the license to run a newspaper because the Internet’s spaces are open to any publisher with determination and money. The online world is beyond the control of a ministry while both markets and readers are the same as the readers and advertisers in the traditional media. This makes one wonder how the new regulations will treat the online media which is aimed at the Saudi market.
Increasing restrictions on the printed media will only serve the interests of electronic online newspapers. I am not calling for the death of electronic newspapers but for help so that traditional newspapers can survive and prosper in the face of mounting numbers of e-media. The printed media will gradually go online and therefore, it is in their interests as well to keep pace with the fast-developing Internet marketplace. It is also in the best interests of lawmakers and executives to be familiar with the emerging situation and offer a helping hand to the traditional media.
