Saudi Media Forum

The Saudi Media Forum is a cultural media event that brings together specialists and enthusiasts from inside and outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to exchange ideas and present opinions that contribute to the development of the media sector. Its first edition was launched in 2019, followed by the second in 2023, and the third edition was held in 2024. The forum is held in Riyadh City.

The forum aims to develop media content, employ and benefit from modern technologies to support media professionals, reinforce and ensure the continuity of work in the sector, and enhance the quality of content provided in media outlets.

The first edition of the forum was held on December 2, 2019, under the theme "Media Industry: Opportunities and Challenges." It featured the participation of numerous media enthusiasts, including CEOs, officials, and heads of national, regional, and international media organizations.

During this edition, more than fifty scientific sessions, meetings, and workshops were conducted, attended by over one thousand media professionals. Among the sessions held were 'The Role of Journalism in Leading Change', 'Media Content and Public Behavior', and 'Journalism Responsibility in Fast News in the Digital World'.

The forum included a session on 'The Use of Journalism in Building Communication Bridges', another titled 'Youth and Opinion Polls', and one titled 'Thirty Years in Saudi Journalism'. As a result of these sessions, numerous proposals and initiatives were put forward aimed at developing the media industry.

The second edition began on February 20, 2023, under the theme 'Media in a World Taking Shape'. It featured sixty sessions and workshops, with over one hundred papers presented, addressing topics related to media content development and the media industry. The event engaged local and international experts and specialists for discussions and the exchange of experience and expertise in the field. More than 1,500 academics and media professionals attended, alongside ministers and local and international officials, to discuss various aspects of the media sector, examining its current status and future prospects. During the two days of the forum, attendance exceeded ten thousand visitors.

The third edition of the Saudi Media Forum was held on February 20-21, 2024, under the theme 'Media in a World Taking Shape'. It was organized by the Saudi Broadcasting Authority in cooperation with the Saudi Journalists Association, with the attendance of around two thousand media professionals from the Kingdom and abroad.

The third edition included sixty specialized media sessions and workshops, presented by around 150 speakers, including ministers, officials, experts, and specialists from both local and international backgrounds. These sessions discussed the latest developments in various forms of media, including visual, audio, print, and digital. They also reviewed local and international media experiences, the importance of digital media and marketing, mobile journalism, television and print journalism, news writing techniques, the reality of Arab media, and many other media-related issues.

The opening session of the forum announced that 2024 is the Year of Media Transformation in the Kingdom. The strategies for the Year of Media Transformation are based on four pillars: figures, indicators, passion, and work. During the session, three strategies were unveiled as the roadmap towards the future of media in the Kingdom: the Media Sector Strategy, the Saudi Broadcasting Authority Strategy, and the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) Strategy.