LONDON: The Saudi Broadcasting Authority announced on Monday the launch of the third generation of radio broadcasting, digital audio broadcasting, and the inauguration of the Radio and Television Corp. Training Academy.
Mohammed bin Fahd Al-Harthy, CEO of the Radio and Television Corp., said that the new initiatives are part of SBA’s broader strategy to expand its media offerings and demonstrate the commission’s commitment to digital transformation.
The new offerings, unveiled by the recently appointed Minister of Media and Communication and former Editor-in-Chief for the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper Salman bin Youssef Al-Dosari, will “provide media services that keep pace with modern technological development to provide distinguished content to the public by all modern means,” the agency said in a statement.
Al-Harthy announced that the academy will offer several training programs in the fields of journalism, television and radio production, digital media, cinema, and theater. These programs will also include leadership skills to help the academy continue providing innovative services.
He also pointed out said that the technical team was “keen to develop the digital radio broadcasting service so that the Kingdom would be among the first countries to activate the DAB+ technology.”
DAB+, which uses digital technology to distribute radio frequency, will expand its space to “accommodate a huge and diverse number of radio stations for listeners.”
Digital broadcasts offer several advantages over traditional AM and FM radio, providing more broadcasts on the same frequency, requiring fewer operating costs and offering a 35 percent increase in coverage area.
The Radio and Television Corp. said it is expanding the use of digital broadcast areas by about 44 digital frequencies after launching three frequencies in Riyadh, Dammam, and Jeddah.
