based TV channel of the Holy Qur'an and Madina-based Prophet's Sunnah (Traditions) channel are a gift from King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, to the Muslim World, Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Khoja, Minister of Culture and Information, said here Sunday night. The minister said King Abdullah was keen on launching the two channels at the start of the new Hijra year In a statement broadcast by Riyadh Radio, Khoja hoped that the new channels will perform the desired role and convey the message intended by the King. He noted that 15 companies will compete for five licenses for launching broadcasting channels. The minister said that the topic of transformation of the ministry's sectors into establishments is being studied by the Administrative Reform Committee. Khoja recently announced the launch of four new Saudi television channels. The first two channels are dedicated to the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah and will be telecast from the two holy cities (Makkah and Madina) while the other two will focus on economy and culture. As regards the economy channel, Khoja said it would highlight Saudi Arabia's leading position among global economies. He also noted the importance given by the Kingdom to cultural dialogue. “The new channel for culture will be a platform for academics and intellectuals to air their views on various issues,” he said. King Abdullah set up the King Abdul Aziz National Dialogue Center in 2003 to promote a culture of dialogue in the country. Meanwhile, Khoja also disclosed plans to launch five FM radio stations soon. Research and analysis from the Arab Advisors Group reveals that close to 82 percent of Saudis listen to FM radio – 54 percent of them on a daily basis.
