Al Saudiya
| Country | Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Worldwide |
| Network | Saudi TV |
| Headquarters | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | Arabic, English |
| Picture format | 1080p MPEG-4 HDTV |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Saudi Broadcasting Authority |
| History | |
| Launched | 7 July 1965 |
Al Saudiya (previously known as Saudi TV Channel 1 and KSA 1), is a Saudi news and entertainment TV channel broadcasting in Arabic, owned by the Saudi Broadcasting Authority (SBA), which is state-run and is administered by the Ministry of Media.[1]
Broadcasting throughout the West Asia, Europe and North America, KSA 1 officially began transmissions on 7 July 1965[2] in black and white from Riyadh and Jeddah until 1974, when color broadcasting was introduced in Jeddah and Mecca.
While the channel produces programmes focusing on cultural, political, and economic issues, it also shows of religious programmes and Islamic rituals. It is known for being the first channel to broadcast the Hajj pilgrimage, and has done so since the end of 1974.[2]
History
Saudi Arabian state television made its first broadcast on July 17, 1965, carrying signal tests in Riyadh and Jeddah. These tests consisted of static slides, music, and some Mighty Mouse cartoons.[3]
It was the third television station to sign on in Saudi Arabia, after Aramco TV (1957) and AJL-TV (1955). The introduction of a national service was seen with controversy from conservative Islamic clerics, believing that television was the "devil's handiwork". The first regular broadcast of Saudi Television was a reading of the Qur'an.[4]
With limited resources, Saudi Television broadcast from the two centers with a schedule that didn't surpass five hours a day. By the 1970s, the station was broadcasting on two shifts on weekdays (10am to 1pm; 6pm to midnight) and a continuous shift on weekends (without the afternoon break).[4]
In December 2012, the Intelligence Bureau of India flagged Al Saudiya as a "hate channel" allegedly broadcasting anti-India programming. It was one of the twenty-four "illegal" channels to have been flagged.[5]
References
- ^ "Saudi 1 - By Your Side". Saudi 1. Retrieved 2021-08-13.
- ^ a b "About channel 2". Archived from the original on 2013-08-21. Retrieved 2011-04-12.
- ^ Boyd, D. A. (1970). Saudi Arabian television. Journal of Broadcasting, 15(1), 73–78.
- ^ a b "Saudis look back on their TV memories on Saudi National Day". Marconi in Broadcasting. Archived from the original on 23 September 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ^ Sharma, Pratul (6 December 2012). "MHA glare on hate channels: Govt puts on notice 24 foreign TV channels showing anti-India content after intel alert". India Today. Archived from the original on 6 December 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
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