RIYADH, 2 July — Arab News, Asharq Al-Awsat and other SRPC publications will go color from Jan. 1, 2003. This was announced here yesterday by Prince Ahmad ibn Salman, chairman of the board of directors of Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG) and Saudi Research and Publishing Company (SRPC).
The decision was taken at a meeting of SRPC’s board of directors, chaired by Prince Ahmad and attended by board members and senior officials of the company.
Abdul Mohsin Al-Akkas, assistant to the chairman, Muhammad M. Al-Shibani, executive vice president, Yasser Kamil El-Dabbagh, managing director, Dr. Fahd Al-Tayash, director general, Ahmad Al-Dosary, adviser and director of the chairman’s office, Muhammad Al-Tunisi, editor in chief of Al-Eqtisadiah, Saleh Al-Hammadi, editor in chief of Arriyadiyah, and Abdullah Al-Qahtani, assistant director general, were present at the meeting.
Prince Ahmad approved plans to set up the most advanced printing technology for the company’s publications.
The board reviewed a report on the development strategy as well as coordination between SRPC, Al-Madinah Printing and Publishing Co. and its printing centers around the world in order to start color printing.
The report was presented by Yasser El-Dabbagh.
The meeting also discussed the ways and means to distribute the 17 SRPC publications to its readers around the world, especially southern Europe, during summer holidays.
The board discussed the launch of Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper’s interactive competition this month as well as the steps to launch interactive services in the company’s other publications from mid-July. Prince Ahmad approved the proposals.
The decision to go color for the SRPC publications, which have wide circulation within the Kingdom and abroad, is expected to bring about a quantum leap in printing techniques with the use of latest technology. This would take the SRPC publications to greater heights.
Prince Ahmad also approved editions of Al-Eqtisadiah from various centers in the Kingdom. The prince also discussed the launch of international editions for Arriyadiyah sports newspaper.
