Saudi Broadcasting Authority

The Saudi Broadcasting Authority (SBA) is the entity responsible for conveying the message of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through words and images to all regions locally and to parts of the world. Its responsibilities include establishing terrestrial and satellite transmission stations, radio and television studios, equipping, operating, and maintaining them both within and outside the Kingdom, managing its activities, preparing its plans and programs within the framework of the Kingdom's general and media policies, in addition to producing and developing radio and television programs.

SBA was established in 2012 after the Council of Ministers approved the conversion of radio and television activities into a public authority, named the Saudi Broadcasting Authority. According to the authority's regulations, it enjoys a public legal personality and administrative independence. It has an independent budget issued by a Royal Decree, according to the arrangements for issuing the state's general budget. Organizationally, it is linked to the Minister of Media, who is primarily responsible for it.

Several government and official radio and television channels are affiliated with SBA, including:

On April 9, 2020, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic, SBA launched the Thikrayat Channel. This initiative aimed to entertain citizens and residents in their homes. The channel showcases programs and series that were instrumental in shaping the generations of the 1980s and 1990s until the beginning of the third millennium.

SBA manages its operations from its main headquarters in the capital, Riyadh. The authority has a Board of Directors, which is the predominant power in managing its affairs. The Minister of Media heads the board. The board includes representatives from the Ministries of: Interior, Foreign Affairs, Finance, and Media, in addition to a representative from the Communications, Space, and Technology Commission.

SBA has several specializations, the most prominent of which are: participation in local, regional, Arab, and international exhibitions, seminars, conferences, and festivals, conducting opinion polls, studies, and scientific research to develop the work of the authority, in addition to purchasing, renting, and marketing radio and television materials recorded on various types of media.

The establishment of the Saudi Broadcasting Authority aims to convey the general policies of the state and the laws and instructions it mandates. It also aims to develop and highlight values derived from Islamic Sharia, establish ethical and spiritual principles, and deepen national unity. In addition to ensuring that broadcasting and television services cater to national interests and economic and social development, the authority also contributes to the dissemination of national and human heritage.