On 30 January, the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Information (MOCI) issued the first private FM license in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The ?Alif ?Alif (??? ???) consortium won the license with a bid of 75 million Saudi riyals (€14.4 million), according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Saudi Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Abdulaziz bin Mohieddin Khoja speaking after the ceremony awarding the first private radio transmission license in the kingdom. (Photo Courtesy Saudi Press Agency) Fifteen bidders met the financial and technical bid requirements, according to the MOCI, and a further four private FM licenses remain to be allocated.
Under the terms of its license, the ?Alif ?Alif consortium must operate from 15 transmission points, and it has the option to operate from as many as 30.
The four additional private FM license awards are expected to be released over the next two months, with an announcement to come every fortnight.
