Article 1 of the Saudi Audiovisual Media Law

This article is the Law's dictionary. Each term defined in it is understood with its specified meaning wherever it appears in the Law, unless the context requires otherwise. The most important definitions are:

• The Authority: the General Authority for Audiovisual Media; the Board is its board of directors and the President is its president. The Ministry and the Minister: the Ministry of Culture and Information and its minister.
• Media content: visual and audio material, or either of them.
• Broadcasting: transmitting media content carried on wired or wireless signals that can be received. Rebroadcasting: rebroadcasting media content without change.
• Audiovisual media: broadcasting media content, or rebroadcasting it, or producing it for broadcast, or distributing or selling it so that it reaches the public, and it does not include what has the character of private correspondence.
• Licensee: the holder of a license from the Authority to carry out a visual or audio media activity.
• Broadcasting license: establishing and operating a broadcasting station under a contract or agreement that governs the relationship between the Authority and the licensee.
• Broadcasting network: the infrastructure for radio or television broadcasting, consisting of towers, transmitters, relay stations, links, antennas and their accessories.
• The primary committee and the appeal committee: the committees formed under the Press and Publications Law.

A key point from the definitions is that the Law's scope is wide: it is not limited to broadcasting but also covers production for broadcast, distribution and sale whenever the aim is for the content to reach the public. Private correspondence is outside the definition of audiovisual media. If you are unsure whether a particular activity falls within the definition, you can consult a lawyer who specializes in media regulation and administrative matters.