Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Shoura Council on Wednesday called on the General Commission for Audiovisual Media to intensify efforts to prevent airing anything that contravenes Saudi laws, customs, traditions and public decorum as well as harming the reputation of the Kingdom and its people.

The Council session, chaired by its Deputy President Dr. Abdullah Al-Moatani, underlined the need to beef up efforts in the technical and legal realms as well as in the field to control the electronic games market through surveillance of shops, markets and cyberspace, in accordance with local and international regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The Council adopted this decision after reviewing the views of the committee on culture, information, tourism and antiquities after listening to the opinions of the members on the annual reports of the General Commission for Audiovisual Media for the last two financial years.

The Council called upon the Commission to intensify censorship of the audio and video channels to prevent airing illegal materials.

The Commission has been urged to coordinate with the concerned authorities to take measures to ensure the payment of fees and taxes on foreign companies that provide video and audio broadcasting services according to pre-paid subscriptions.

The Council also called on the Commission to study the transfer the powers of quasi-judicial committees competent to adjudicate the violations of printing and publishing regulations to the courts.