JEDDAH: Minister of Culture and Information Awwad Al-Awwad issued a decision on Wednesday to change Al Ekhbariya channel to a limited liability company, owned by the Saudi Broadcasting Corp. (SBC) and the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
This change was taken as a measure to cope with rapid developments in local and international media.
The official Twitter website of the Ministry of Culture and Information, @SaudiBroadcast, posted a video in which the official spokesman of the ministry, Hani Al-Gahafili, expressed his reaction to the news in a daily new TV program called “Saudi morning.”
He said: “The channel’s transformation into a company gives it flexibility in performance and enables it to achieve many goals. It will become a strong source of local news and will match its corresponding regional and global channels.”
According to the SPA: “The decision aims to develop the Arabic-language news channel and to launch an English-language news channel. The company will be able to develop its experience regarding events coverage, and follow-up of local and international news.”
Al-Awwad said in a statement: “Such a change comes within the context of the ministry’s initiatives to achieve Vision 2030, and enable its various institutions to keep abreast of developments in the media arena at the level of the region and the world.”
He added: “We have established media institutions in Saudi Arabia and we are working with them to provide all the support they need to professionally convey the Kingdom’s message to the world.”
The new version of the channel, the Al Ekhbariya Company Network, aims to achieve excellence in the dissemination of exclusive content in accordance with standards of honesty, accuracy and objectivity; to make a return on the investment in the media sector; and to create new platforms for digital distribution to reach a competitive content industry.
Al Ekhbariya channel to become news network company
Al Ekhbariya channel to become news network company
14 sculptures go on display at public spaces in Riyadh
- The works were chosen by Riyadh Art from its international Tuwaiq Sculpture symposium to reflect its ‘vision of weaving beauty and intellect into the city’s fabric’
- Initiative aligns with efforts to make art a key part of city’s identity that improves quality of life and promotes the cultural economy, says Royal Commission for Riyadh City’s Khalid Al-Hazani
RIYADH: Fourteen sculptures selected from the annual international Tuwaiq Sculpture symposium, a Riyadh Art program, went on display on Wednesday at three prominent public spaces across the Saudi capital: ROSHN Front, the SEDRA residential community, and Sports Boulevard.
The project is part of Riyad Art’s efforts to showcase artworks in public spaces, and the addition of more works in other places is expected later.
Khalid Al-Hazani, the executive vice president of the lifestyle sector at the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, said: “This step reflects (Riyadh Art’s) vision of weaving beauty and intellect into the city’s fabric, and creating vibrant and culturally rich public spaces, allowing art to become an integral part of people’s daily lives.”
It is also in line with Riyadh Art’s broader strategy for transforming the city into an open-air art gallery, he added, thereby “turning art into a central element of the city’s identity and a key contributor to improving quality of life and promoting the cultural economy.”
The three chosen locations were considered perfect places to host the artworks because of their vibrancy, strong community connections and accessibility, Al-Hazani noted.
“This provides residents and visitors with the opportunity to engage with the sculptures in their everyday lives,” he said.
Seven of the sculptures have been installed at ROSHN Front, considered a key urban hub. The artworks on display there form a thought-provoking artistic landscape that encourages interaction, organizers said, and explores a number of themes including the values of urban transformation, community spirit, and creative curiosity.
Three sculptures are on display at the SEDRA residential community. Chosen to complement its serene character and nature-integrated urban planning, they blend in with their surroundings to reflect the values of environmental harmony, contemplation and renewal, organizers explained.
The remaining four sculptures are at Sports Boulevard, known for its open, green spaces. These works reflect several concepts, in particular ideas of nature, balance and public health.
All of the sculptures are part of Riyadh Art’s permanent collection, which includes works created by local and international artists during the Tuwaiq Sculpture symposium.
