Manama: Saudi Arabia’s media landscape will go through a sweeping change that will include increasing the number of languages used to disseminate reports and features on its official news agency from six to ten before the end of the year.
The news on television will be broadcast in more languages in the bid to reach out to the largest number of viewers and readers throughout the world.
“We will add several languages to our services on Saudi Press Agency (SPA), and we will for example be including Japanese,” Adel Al Turaifi, the minister of culture and information, said in remarks carried by Saudi daily Al Sharq on Wednesday.
A large number of young Saudi men and women are being trained in covering the news in other languages, he said.
Currently, SPA broadcasts in Arabic, English, French, Persian, Russian and Chinese.
At the same time, the ministry is working on improving aptitudes in dealing with modern applications and services, the minister said as he toured the media centre set up in the tent city of Mina on the outskirts of Makkah where Muslims have gathered for Haj.
Saudi Arabia this year launched a television station in Farsi to cover Haj, alongside its regular stations in Arabic and English.
“The channel is not being used to attack or fight anyone. It is just covering Haj in Farsi. It also covered the king’s speech and media conferences given by health or security authorities. It was successful in conveying the view that Saudi Arabia had no problem with Iranian pilgrims and that the Saudi government welcomed all pilgrims from Iran. Those who issued a fatwa not to allow Iranians to perform Haj this year do not represent the whole Iranian society, but just one component,” he said.
According to the minister, around 70 Arab and foreign channels and 250 foreign journalists covered Haj and had full support from the ministry.
He added that 1,000 Saudi media figures were working on ensuring a full coverage of the Haj season based on the highest standards.
“Their contributions have been outstanding in showing the world the true picture of Haj and the services provided by the kingdom to the pilgrims,” he said.
