The Saudi Arabian government signed six contracts with local companies for a variety of new radio and television projects.
Culture and Information Minister Dr. Abdul Aziz bin Mohieddin Khoja signed the contracts today, 8 September 2009, with a total value of 314 million Saudi riyals.
The contract include new radio and television centers in Ha’il, Tabuk and Jizan. The cost for the three facilities is 125 million riyals, and the centers should be complete within 18 months.
As part of a 75 million riyal contract, 10 digital television broadcast stations will be established in Al Henakeyah, Msegeed, Al Ahmar, Tarabah, Al Harjah, Bal Qarn, Bal Asmar, Hobouna and Al-Mandaq; and 17.7 million riyals will be invested in the supply, delivery and installation of studio equipment for Makkah TV over the coming five months.
On the radio side, a 5.6 million riyal contract covers the operation and maintenance of radio transmitting stations in Khumrah, Jeddah, Duba, Qurayyat, and Ras Azzour over the course of the next three years.
Additional contracts covered operation and maintenance agreements for the Saudi television complex in Riyadh, as well as security systems and a multi-storey car park for the ministry.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the contracts are part of a ministry effort to update and improve broadcast media across the kingdom.