JEDDAH, 28 January 2004 — International television coverage of the Haj this year will be the most extensive ever. Deputy Information Minister Dr. Saleh Muhammad Al-Namlah has confirmed that more than 26 international channels will be beaming live coverage of the event back home.
Dr. Al-Namlah said the ministry had drawn up provisions to ensure full media coverage by stations from around the world, which would be “without any restriction.”
International news media have responded in force. Among the TV channels recently arrived in the Kingdom to provide live coverage are Reuters Television, the BBC, French TV stations, Associated News Press, CNN (Arabic), Fox News and its UK counterpart Sky TV and the Turkish Kanal D channel.
It is the first time that the BBC has been able to send a dedicated full strength team to cover the event although reporters have frequently visited the Kingdom on short assignments.
John Simpson, the BBC’s World Affairs Editor and award-winning TV journalist, leads a London-based team, although not all, including him, will be visiting Makkah.
“BBC journalists have come before but not on this scale,” Simpson told Arab News yesterday. “It’s a very interesting development, very positive, and we have had a lot of help from the Saudi authorities.”
The BBC hopes that this may lead to its being able to open a bureau in the Kingdom. Late in 2003, several international news agencies applied successfully for permission to open offices in the Kingdom. “The BBC wants to be represented here because Saudi Arabia is an important country,” Simpson said. “We need to be able to report on what is happening here.”
CNN has broadcast Haj coverage over the past few years using local reporters in Saudi Arabia and visual reports via Arabic and Saudi Television channels. This year, CNN focuses more on Islam through visual reports of Haj and its religious significance to Muslims.
CNN broadcasts these reports via daily news with the first one entitled “Haj: Health, Reverence and Faith.” The network reinforces its coverage using other satellite channels as well as reporters on site. CNN will also rely on Associated Press for further media Haj coverage.
FOX News/Sky TV has sent a team to cover the pilgrimage for the first time.
