Journalistic Institutions Law

In implementing the Council of Ministers’ Resolution No. (476) dated 15/07/1441 AH, stated in
section (“Fifth”) the following: “Amending Section (“Third”) of the Council of Ministers’
Resolution No. (713) dated 30/11/1438 AH, to become as follows:

“Every governmental body, when preparing a proposal related to economic and

development affairs, for drafting rules, regulations, decisions, inter alia in a legislation
nature (within its competence), shall publish it on the unified electronic platform to seek
the opinions of the public and government agencies via the world wide web (Internet), to
enable parties and individuals concerned with its provisions to express their perspectives
and observations towards it. And shall publish a summary of the most important contents
of these visions and feedback provided on the platform. The government Body shall have
the discretion to publish proposals related to other affairs and a summary of the
perspectives and observations made in this regard”.

Consequently, the legal effect related to the Journalistic Institutions Law has been interpreted as
follows:

1- Fulfilling the Council of Ministers’ Resolution No. (51) dated 6/2/1435 AH, by
assigning the tasks of governing the Media content in all of its forms, traditionally, and
electronically. (Including the ethical perspective), to the General Commission for
Audiovisual Media.

2- Enhancing the supervisory role by making it more effective, to ensure the quality of
readable (Visual) content.

3- Expanding the scope, comprehensively and generally, to include types of organizations,

and patterns for types of Journalism (press). Since the current law includes only one form
of organization.

4- Contributing to the prosperity and freedom of the economic situation. Along with the
growth of the internal and external media when changing the foundations in which the
establishment of Journalism formation in the future is based.

5- Keeping pace with the rapid media, economic changes, and technical changes that
require many modifications and implementations to the old law in order to meet the needs,
the time conditions, and the current and upcoming developments.