Saudi Press Agency

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA; Arabic: وكالة الأنباء السعودية) is the state news agency of Saudi Arabia. It was established in 1970 during the reign of King Faisal bin Abdulaziz and functions under the country's Ministry of Media.

Saudi Press Agency
وكالة الأنباء السعودية
SPA
Agency overview
Formed1970 (1970)
JurisdictionGovernment of Saudi Arabia
HeadquartersRiyadh, Saudi Arabia
Agency executive
  • Abdullah bin Fahd Al Hussein, President
Parent agencyMinistry of Media
Websitewww.spa.gov.sa

History and profile

The agency was established in 1970 as the first national news agency in Saudi Arabia.[1] The agency is also the first news agency in the Persian Gulf region.[2] The main goal of its establishment was to serve as a central body to collect and distribute local and international news in Saudi Arabia and abroad.[1]

The SPA is under the responsibility of the ministry of Media and therefore, its president directly reports to the minister.[1][3] The SPA provides the newspapers with a guideline, the editorial line, which should be followed in their reports.[3] The Agency publishes news in both Arabic and English.[4] The SPA has offices in Bonn, Cairo, London, Tunis and Washington, DC.[1]

In late May 2012, the Saudi Council of Ministers made a decision to separate Saudi Television and Radio and Saudi Press Agency (SPA), making both as two independent corporations.[5]

Under the May 2012 restructuring, the SPA covers events and issues at national, regional and international levels, especially those related to the Kingdom and contribute to strengthening the journalistic profession in the country. The new arrangement also involves the transformation of the SPA into a Presidency.[5] The president is Abdullah bin Fahd Al Hussein.[6] The minister of Media acts as the board chairman of the agency.[6]

In November 2013, the SPA signed a news exchange agreement with Anadolu Agency, official news agency of Turkey.[7]

Activities

The agency organized the fourth News Agencies World Congress (NAWC) in Riyadh in 2013.[8]

See also

References
  1. "Ministry of Culture and Information". SAMIRAD. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  2. Barrie Gunter; Roger Dickinson (6 June 2013). News Media in the Arab World: A Study of 10 Arab and Muslim Countries. A&C Black. p. 33. ISBN 978-1-4411-0239-3. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  3. "Saudi Arabia. Media market description" (PDF). World Association of Newspapers. 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  4. "Media landscape". Menassat. 2007. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  5. Al Qahtani, Badr (29 May 2012). "Saudi TV, SPA to be independent corporations". Arab News. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  6. "Riyadh hosts Arab news agencies conference". KUNA. Riyadh. 16 November 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  7. "Anadolu Agency signs news deal with Saudi SPA". Anadolu Agency. Riyadh. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  8. Rashid Hassan (20 November 2013). "News agencies embrace information technology". Arab News. Riyadh. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
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