JEDDAH, 11 January 2004 — Saudi Arabia’s first news channel goes on air today with some 45 reporters covering news and events from around the world, Al-Riyadh Arabic newspaper reported yesterday quoting an informed source at the Ministry of Culture and Information.
The 12-hour daily transmission, beginning at 14:00 hours, will continue until 02:00 in the morning, the source said. The news will be anchored by a team of 10, including three women. Apart from the hourly telecast of news, there will be news in brief every half hour.
“The channel’s presentation will be totally different from Channel 1,” the source said. “In the initial phase the news telecast will be for 12 hours, and this will upgraded to round the clock service,” he added.
The news channel brings the number of Saudi Arabian Television channels to four, one of them being the sports channel.
While announcing the plan to launch the new channel, Culture and Information Minister Dr. Fouad Al-Farsy said it will offer continuous coverage of international news and current affairs.
“The channel will strive for credibility and a swift response to news of national, Arab and international importance,” he said. A portion of programs will be devoted to covering events in the Kingdom, he added.
Al-Farsy said the channel will air live talk shows in addition to recorded programs on the Kingdom and other countries.
