“We have already started this channel from Jeddah and now we will air it from Riyadh and subsequently after two weeks we will begin operations in the Eastern Province,” said Saeed.

He said the channel has a variety of programs focusing on sports together with social, cultural and economic topics that listeners would find interesting. “Our slogan is if we are not the first ... we will be the first,” he said.

The programs, he said, will involve listeners. “We will allow celebrities in the field of sports, culture, entertainment, media, world and social affairs to participate in the programs,” said Saeed, adding that Saudi youths will be given a pride of place in all of the programs.

The channel will run for 24 hours and broadcast 36 programs. “Every program has been carefully tailored to attract all sections of listeners. The programs will have a Saudi flavor and every listener would find what is broadcast interesting,” said Saeed.

The machinery and equipment for the Riyadh station costs around SR1.5 million and have been imported from countries such as Germany and Canada. “Most of our programs will be live except for a few recorded programs,” he said, adding that there are 27 uFM reporters throughout the Kingdom to give on the spot coverage on news that would interest listeners.

The Riyadh office is staffed by 50 people with a large concentration of Saudis.

Saeed, a graduate of American University in London, started working for the Saudi government’s Radio Riyadh 25 years ago.

He had worked in the United States as a sound engineer and was one of the people who launched mbc.fm in London.

“We will gradually cover all major cities of the Kingdom and subsequently air our programs through satellites so that people from other countries can listen to our programs that depict true Saudi society, culture and its traditions,” he said.