Ministry of Media (Saudi Arabia)

The Ministry of Media (Arabic: وزارة الإعلام‎) is one of the governmental bodies of Saudi Arabia and part of the cabinet. The main function of the ministry is to regulate the media of Saudi Arabia and the communications between Saudi Arabia and other countries.[1][2] It is headquartered in Riyadh.[3]

Ministry of Media
Ministrial Department overview
Formed2018 (2018)
Preceding Ministrial Department
  • Ministry of Media
JurisdictionSaudi Arabia
HeadquartersRiyadh
Minister responsible
Child Ministrial Department
Websitemedia.gov.sa

History

The ministry was founded in 1962 as the ministry of information.[1][4] The first minister of information was Jamil bin Ibrahim Al Hujaylan.[5] In 2003, its portfolio was expanded to include cultural affairs and was renamed as the ministry of culture and information.[1][4] later, on 1 June 2018 the culture was separated from the media resulting in two different ministries: Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Media.

Iyad bin Amin Madani served in the post between February 2005[6] and 14 February 2009.[7][8] His successor was Abdulaziz Khoja.[8] Khoja's appointment was regarded as part of the then King Abdullah's reform initiatives.[9] His tenure as the minister of culture and information ended on 29 January 2015 when Adel Al Toraifi was appointed to the post.[10]

On 22 April 2017, Awwad Alawwad was appointed as minister. His primary mandate is to revitalize the culture and media industries at home, support government communications abroad and strengthen Saudi Arabia’s cultural relations around the world.[11]

On 27 December 2018, Turki Al-Shabana was appointed as Minister of Media replacing Awwad Alawwad who has been appointed as a Royal Court advisor.[12]

On 25 February 2020, Majid Al Qasabi was appointed by royal decree as Minister of Media replacing Turki Al-Shabana.[13]

Organization and activities

Censorship
Main article: Censorship in Saudi Arabia

The ministry has "responsibility for all the Saudi media and other channels of information".[14] The ministry has been called the "main agent of censorship" in the kingdom.[14] It is charged with the purification of culture prior to it being permitted circulation to the public. A special unit, the management of publications department, "analyzes all publications and issues directives to newspapers and magazines" stating that way in which a given topic must be treated.[14]

Censorship is strict enough for works of the minister of culture and information himself: the former minister Abdulaziz Khojah's own works of poetry were banned in Saudi Arabia.[15]

Other bodies

The ministry also oversees the activities of the following bodies: King Fahd Cultural Centre, Administration of Folklore, Saudi Society for Culture and Arts, General Administration of Cultural Activities and Literary Clubs, and General Administration for Literary Clubs.[1] It is also responsible for the activities of the General Administration for Public Libraries and the General Administration for Cultural Relations.[1] The Saudi Press Agency is also part of the ministry.[1]

In London and Tunis, the ministry has information offices.[1]

See also

References
  1. "Ministry of Culture and Information". SAMIRAD. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  2. "Ministry Addresses". Saudi Embassy. Archived from the original on 26 April 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  3. Basic addresses Archived 24 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine OSCE. September 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  4. David E. Long (1 January 2005). Culture and Customs of Saudi Arabia. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-313-32021-7.
  5. J. E. Peterson (2003). Historical Dictionary of Saudi Arabia (2nd ed.). Scarecrow Press. p. 67.
  6. "14 February 2005 - Saudi Cabinet Meeting". SAMIRAD. 14 February 2005. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  7. "About Saudi Arabia, Members of the Council of Ministers as of November 2010". Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  8. "Profiles". Saudi Gazette. 15 February 2009. Archived from the original on 24 September 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  9. "Saudi King appoints first woman to council". CNN. 14 February 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  10. "Massive Cabinet shake-up". Arab News. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  11. "Dr. Al-Awwad thanks leadership for appointment as Minister of Culture and Information The official Saudi Press Agency". www.spa.gov.sa. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  12. "Saudi Arabia's King Salman appoints new foreign minister in sweeping Cabinet reshuffle". Arab News. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  13. "Saudi Royal Decree Forms 3 New Ministries, Merges 2 Others". Asharq AL-awsat. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  14. Jonathon Green (2005). Encyclopedia of Censorship. Infobase publishing. p. 493. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  15. Hanna Labonté (23 August 2010). "Saudi Man of Letters and Cautious Reformer". Qantara. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
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