However, many publishers are adamant that their magazines will remain afloat and that staff will not be let go.
The publishers say that advertising revenue is high and ever increasing, especially since Saudi Arabia has one of the Middle East’s strongest economies. They add that the Kingdom’s robust economy is also attracting other Gulf publications.
The folding of Ro’aa follows the recent closure of two other Saudi magazines, which have moved away from print and confined operations to the Internet.
Matar Al-Ahmadi, editor in chief of Laha, a glossy woman’s magazine published by Al-Hayat newspaper, said his magazine is still generating profit and that employees have not been made redundant due to financial difficulties.
He also expressed surprise at Ro’aa’s closure saying the Kingdom is the region’s largest advertising market and that the publishing industry is very strong.
Al-Ahmadi said that the Kingdom’s magazine industry is so strong that regional Arab publications are also trying to enter the market and have a share of the pie.
“While these regional magazines try competing with us in the Kingdom, Saudi magazines do not compete with them in Lebanon, the UAE or Kuwait,” he said, adding that Saudi magazines are unafraid of regional competition.
Al-Ahmadi is adamant that the Kingdom’s magazine industry will not wither and die in the near future or confine all operations to the Internet, and that there is a lot of life left in the Saudi publishing industry. “The number of stories we spike is higher than those we publish. This is because we don’t copy what newspapers do,” he said.
Mona Siraj, managing editor of Sayidaty, a glossy woman’s magazine published by the Saudi Research and Publishing Company, said her magazine has a strong position in the local market. She added that the magazine is in competition with local newspapers, but has a niche.
Asked about the balance between advertisements and actual copy in the magazine, she said, “It has never happened that a report has been excluded for the sake of an advertisement. We have increased from 50 pages to 250 pages so there is room for both news and advertisements.”
