Saudi 2

Saudi 2, also known as Saudi TV Channel 2 and KSA 2, was an English-language public television service from Saudi Arabia. It was created as the second service in the Saudi television system and ultimately became the country's principal, and for a period its only, public English-language channel aimed at expatriates living and working in the kingdom. Its programming combined news, current affairs, cultural and educational material with imported entertainment, children's shows, documentaries, drama, comedy, game shows and sports programming. The service emerged from government planning that began in 1979. The proposed second network was intended to divide responsibilities within the national television system: one channel would emphasize information, culture, education, current affairs and national development, while the established channel would retain a stronger entertainment and public-information role. The launch was delayed after the Grand Mosque seizure of 1979 and eventually took place in August 1983, approximately three years later than originally anticipated. The channel's audience strategy subsequently focused heavily on foreign workers and other non-Saudi residents, making it an important public-facing communications outlet for Saudi Arabia's expatriate population. Saudi 2 initially carried programming addressing cultural, political and economic subjects relevant to life in Saudi Arabia. It also acquired or aired a broad range of international formats and series. Documentaries and factual programming included titles such as Rescue 911, Tomorrow's World, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, The World About Us, Lorne Greene's New Wilderness and Animal World. Its entertainment schedule included Hotel, Yan Can Cook, Candid Camera, That's Incredible!, The Wonderful World of Disney, The Mickey Mouse Club, The Paul Daniels Magic Show and a variety of game and variety programmes. Sports and educational content were also represented through programmes such as Trans World Sport, Gillette World Sport Special, Beyond 2000, Wonderstruck and Encyclopedia Britannica. The channel became the first Saudi television service to carry commercial advertising in 1986. Although the service was predominantly English-language, its initial advertising was in Arabic, reflecting the regulatory and commercial environment in which it operated. A major expansion occurred after the channel was converted to a 24-hour service. In the middle of 2007, its distribution was extended to Europe and North America, and its news operation was described as having correspondents in the Middle East, the United Kingdom and the United States. This international reach supported its role as a source of official Saudi news and public-affairs programming for audiences outside the kingdom as well as for expatriates inside it. By 2014, the service was generally identified as Saudi 2. Its operating life ended when the Saudi Minister of Culture and Information, Dr. Awwad Bin Saleh Al-Awwad, suspended transmission in December 2017. The suspension was associated with a broader plan to align state media with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. Consequently, Saudi 2 is best understood as a historical television channel rather than an active broadcast brand. Its legacy lies in providing a long-running English-language window into Saudi public broadcasting, combining state information and cultural messaging with internationally sourced television entertainment.

Saudi 2 was developed as the second network in Saudi Arabia's government television system. Planning began in 1979, when the government proposed a complementary channel structure. The new service was intended to carry informative, cultural and educational programming, current affairs, features about national development and public-information campaigns. The existing service was expected to retain a greater emphasis on entertainment while maintaining an appropriate public-information mix. The project was initially expected to launch around the beginning of 1980, but the timetable was disrupted after the Grand Mosque seizure in 1979. The channel eventually began broadcasting in August 1983. Its audience focus evolved toward foreigners working and living in Saudi Arabia, giving it a distinct role within the national broadcasting system. Rather than serving only a domestic Arabic-speaking audience, it used English-language programming to communicate with the kingdom's sizable expatriate population. During its early operation, Saudi 2 presented programmes on Saudi cultural, political and economic affairs alongside acquired international content. Its schedule included factual and documentary titles, imported drama and comedy, children's programming, educational series, game shows, variety entertainment, magic programmes and sports. This combination allowed the channel to function both as a public-information outlet and as a general-interest television service. In 1986 it became the first Saudi channel to carry commercial advertising. The advertising was in Arabic even though English was the dominant language of the channel's programming. The channel later moved toward continuous broadcasting. Following its conversion to a 24-hour service, its distribution expanded in the middle of 2007 to Europe and North America. The international service was supported by a news-correspondent network covering the Middle East, the United Kingdom and the United States. This broadened Saudi 2's potential audience beyond expatriates physically present in Saudi Arabia and gave overseas viewers access to Saudi public news and cultural programming. The service was known as Saudi TV Channel 2 or KSA 2 and was identified as Saudi 2 by 2014. Its transmission was suspended in December 2017 by the Saudi Minister of Culture and Information, Dr. Awwad Bin Saleh Al-Awwad. The suspension was presented in connection with a plan to adapt Saudi media to Saudi Vision 2030. Following that decision, Saudi 2 ceased to operate as a continuing broadcast channel. The available reference material does not establish a successor brand, a precise corporate dissolution process or the final disposition of its website.

• 2017

  Transmission suspended

  [1]Saudi 2en.wikipedia.org

  Transmission was suspended in December as part of a Saudi media plan associated with Vision 2030.

• 2014

  Service identified as Saudi 2

  [1]Saudi 2en.wikipedia.org

  The channel was identified as Saudi 2, following its earlier use of the Saudi TV Channel 2 and KSA 2 names.

• 2007

  International distribution expanded

  [1]Saudi 2en.wikipedia.org

  After becoming a 24-hour service, the channel expanded its broadcast reach to Europe and North America and maintained correspondents in the Middle East, the United Kingdom and the United States.

• 1986

  Commercial advertising introduced

  [1]Saudi 2en.wikipedia.org

  Saudi 2 became the first Saudi television channel to carry commercial advertising. The advertising was in Arabic despite the channel's predominantly English-language service.

• 1983

  Channel launched

  [1]Saudi 2en.wikipedia.org

  After delays associated with the events of 1979, the second Saudi television service began broadcasting in August 1983 and focused increasingly on foreign residents in the kingdom.

• 1979

  Second Saudi television network planned

  [1]Saudi 2en.wikipedia.org

  The Saudi government began planning a second television network intended to specialize in information, culture, education, current affairs and national-development coverage.

A government-backed English-language public television service positioned for expatriates in Saudi Arabia and, after its international expansion, Saudi-focused audiences in Europe and North America.

• News broadcasting

  English-language news

  News and public-affairs programming formed a central part of Saudi 2's identity. The service presented Saudi-related information for English-speaking viewers and supported its wider expatriate and overseas audience with correspondents in the Middle East, the United Kingdom and the United States.

• Public-service television · 1983

  Cultural and educational programming

  The channel was designed to carry cultural, educational and informative material, including coverage of current events, national development and public information. Examples of educational and factual titles associated with its former schedule include Beyond 2000, Wonderstruck and Encyclopedia Britannica.

• Entertainment television · 1983

  International entertainment programming

  Saudi 2 supplemented its public-affairs role with internationally sourced entertainment. Its former schedule included drama, comedy, children's shows, variety programmes, game shows and factual entertainment, including Hotel, Yan Can Cook, Candid Camera, The Wonderful World of Disney and The Mickey Mouse Club.

• Documentary television · 1983

  Documentary and factual programming

  The service carried a broad factual catalogue, including Rescue 911, Tomorrow's World, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, The World About Us, Lorne Greene's New Wilderness and Animal World. These programmes complemented the channel's educational and general-interest positioning.

• Sports broadcasting · 1983

  Sports programming

  Sports was part of the channel's mixed schedule. Formerly associated titles included Trans World Sport and Gillette World Sport Special, giving the English-language service a broader entertainment and information offering.

• 2017

  Suspend transmissionOther

  Background

  Saudi authorities were restructuring public media in association with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

  Action taken

  The Minister of Culture and Information, Dr. Awwad Bin Saleh Al-Awwad, suspended Saudi 2's transmission in December 2017.

  Aftermath

  The channel stopped operating as a continuing television service. The available reference material does not specify a successor channel or a separate winding-up process.

  Source

• 2007

  Expand the 24-hour service internationallyStrategy

  Background

  Saudi 2 had been developed primarily for expatriates living in Saudi Arabia. Its conversion to a 24-hour service created an opportunity to serve viewers outside the kingdom as well.

  Action taken

  The channel expanded distribution to Europe and North America and operated with news correspondents in the Middle East, the United Kingdom and the United States.

  Aftermath

  The move broadened the channel's geographic reach and reinforced its role as an English-language outlet for Saudi news and public programming.

  Source

• 2017

  Saudi 2 transmission suspended[1]Saudi 2en.wikipedia.org

  Regulation · Other

  Saudi Arabia suspended transmission of its English-language public channel in December 2017. The move was linked to a wider restructuring of Saudi media intended to support the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

1. 1Saudi 2en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Saudi 2 official websitesaudi2tv.sa