Article 13 of the Saudi Audiovisual Media Law
المادة 13 من نظام الإعلام المرئي والمسموع
A broadcasting or rebroadcasting licensee must, when the Authority requests, provide any media content not yet shown, to obtain its approval before broadcasting or rebroadcasting it.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجب على المرخص له في مجال البث أو إعادة البث أن يزود الهيئة -في حال طلبها- بأي محتوى إعلامي لم يعرض بعد؛ من أجل الحصول على موافقتها قبل بثه أو عند إعادة بثه، وتحدد اللائحة الإجراءات والشروط المتعلقة بذلك.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 13 explained in plain English
This article gives the Authority a tool of prior oversight of content, but under specific conditions:
- Who it addresses: the licensee in broadcasting or rebroadcasting.
- When? When the Authority requests it. The duty does not apply automatically to all content, but when the Authority asks.
- What content? Any media content not yet shown.
- The purpose: obtaining the Authority's approval before broadcasting it or when rebroadcasting it.
- The details: the regulations set the related procedures and conditions.
In practice, the Authority may ask a licensed channel or radio station to provide it with content before it is shown, and in that case approval must be obtained before broadcast. The text also covers rebroadcasting, which under Article 1 means rebroadcasting media content without change.
The difference between this article and paragraph 3 of Article 6: Article 6 requires the licensee to keep a record of what it broadcast during the last 90 days and to provide the Authority with what it requests for review, which is subsequent oversight. Article 13 concerns content not yet shown, which is prior oversight.
A licensee that has received a request from the Authority and wants to know the required procedures should refer to the regulations, and can consult a lawyer who specializes in media regulation and administrative matters.
Practical example
A licensed channel in Riyadh is preparing to show a new series, and the Authority asked to see it before it is shown. The channel must provide the Authority with the episodes and obtain its approval before broadcasting them, under the procedures set by the regulations.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 13 of the Saudi Audiovisual Media Law
Must every program be submitted to the Authority before it is broadcast?
The article requires providing the Authority, when it requests, with content not yet shown, to obtain its approval before broadcasting it.
Does the rule cover rebroadcasting?
Yes. The article refers to obtaining approval before broadcast or when rebroadcasting, and it addresses the licensee in broadcasting or rebroadcasting.
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The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.