Saudi Arabia's Minister of Media, Salman Al-Dossary, visited the new state-of-the-art studios of Asharq Network in the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh on Tuesday. He was welcomed by the chairman of the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG), Eng. Abdulrahman Ibrahim Al-Ruwaita, and SRMG CEO Jomana Alrashid.
Strategic Repositioning to Riyadh
In an interview with Asharq Bloomberg, Al-Dossary described the launch as a pivotal moment in Arab media history. He said: “Today we are living through a very special and pivotal moment in the history of Arab media with the launch of Asharq Network from Riyadh, the capital of influence, decision-making and growth in the region.” He added that the move is not merely geographical but a strategic repositioning to where the story is being shaped politically, economically, in sports and media.
Asharq Bloomberg, launched in November 2020 through a partnership between SRMG and Bloomberg Media, officially began broadcast operations from KAFD on Monday, after initially going live from Dubai studios.
Expanding Media Portfolio
Over the past five years, Asharq Network has launched multiple channels including Asharq Documentary, Asharq Discovery, Asharq Podcasts, Radio Asharq and Asharq NOW. Al-Dossary emphasized that Asharq Bloomberg represents a range of media coverage including television, podcasts, augmented reality and social media platforms. He stated: “All of this gives us a new concept of media, which is no longer old and new media, but rather media that, in my estimation, the Asharq represents in the best possible way. It blends old and new media and reaches all segments and levels.”
Tour of Facilities
The minister toured Asharq's integrated newsroom, television studios and broadcast operations at SRMG's new headquarters, learning about editorial and production capabilities including advanced technologies for television, digital, radio and podcasts. He also met with journalists, presenters, producers, engineers and technical teams.
CEO Jomana Alrashid said the visit affirmed Saudi Arabia's vision to build a world-class media sector. She added: “At SRMG, we are proud to be part of this journey, investing in innovative content, media technologies, and national talent in a way that helps cement the Kingdom's position as a leading regional hub for media and content creation.” She described the new facilities as an investment in people, creativity and trusted journalism, bringing editorial, production and broadcasting capabilities under one roof to deliver high-quality journalism with greater speed, depth and innovation.
Meeting with Leadership
Al-Dossary concluded the visit with a meeting with SRMG's senior leadership to discuss the ongoing development of Saudi Arabia's media sector.
