From traditional broadcasts commanding billions to digital streams captivating millions, Saudi Arabia's media landscape in 2023 was a powerhouse of growth, transformation, and unprecedented audience engagement.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, Saudi Arabia's television broadcasting market reached a value of SAR 12.5 billion, marking a 7.2% year-on-year growth driven by increased subscriptions to pay-TV services like OSN and Shahid
- MBC Group, the largest free-to-air broadcaster in the Middle East, aired over 5,200 hours of original Arabic content in 2022 across its 20+ channels targeting Saudi audiences
- Saudi TV households numbered 9.8 million in 2023, with 68% penetration rate for smart TVs enabling streaming services integration
- Saudi Arabia's print media circulation peaked at 2.1 million daily copies in 2022 before declining 5% due to digital shift, led by Al Riyadh newspaper at 180,000 copies
- Okaz newspaper, one of Saudi's oldest, published 365 daily editions with an average of 120 pages in 2023, focusing on national news and opinion pieces
- The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) distributed over 250,000 news articles in Arabic and English in 2023, serving 1,200 print and digital outlets
- Saudi digital media ad spend surged to SAR 4.2 billion in 2023, representing 45% of total media expenditure with social platforms leading
- Snapchat daily active users in Saudi Arabia hit 18.5 million in Q4 2023, with 75% of population aged 13-34 engaging daily for news and entertainment
- Shahid.net, MBC's streaming platform, amassed 25 million monthly active users in Saudi Arabia in 2023, streaming 1.5 billion minutes monthly
- Total media advertising expenditure in Saudi Arabia reached SAR 12.4 billion in 2023, with digital overtaking TV at 48% share
- TV advertising revenues for Saudi broadcasters totaled SAR 5.1 billion in 2023, with Ramadan campaigns contributing 35% of annual spend
- Out-of-home (OOH) ad spend in Saudi grew 15% to SAR 1.2 billion in 2023, targeting high-traffic areas in Riyadh and Jeddah malls
- Saudi Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) enforced media ownership laws limiting foreign stake to 49% in 2023, impacting 20 mergers
- General Commission for Audiovisual Media (GCAM) issued 450 content licenses in 2023, prioritizing Vision 2030 aligned cultural productions
- Saudi media market projected to grow at 6.8% CAGR to SAR 25 billion by 2027, per PwC outlook focusing on digital transformation
Saudi Arabia's media industry is rapidly growing and transforming, led by digital platforms and streaming services.
Advertising and Revenue
- Total media advertising expenditure in Saudi Arabia reached SAR 12.4 billion in 2023, with digital overtaking TV at 48% share
- TV advertising revenues for Saudi broadcasters totaled SAR 5.1 billion in 2023, with Ramadan campaigns contributing 35% of annual spend
- Out-of-home (OOH) ad spend in Saudi grew 15% to SAR 1.2 billion in 2023, targeting high-traffic areas in Riyadh and Jeddah malls
- Programmatic advertising adoption in Saudi media hit 28% of digital ad buys in 2023, valued at SAR 1.1 billion via platforms like Google DV360
- Influencer marketing ROI in Saudi averaged 5.2x for brands in 2023, with 2,500 campaigns tracked spending SAR 900 million
- Cinema advertising generated SAR 450 million in 2023, coinciding with 120 million tickets sold across 650 screens nationwide
- E-commerce ad spend on Saudi media platforms reached SAR 2.8 billion in 2023, driven by Noon and Amazon.sa promotions on social channels
- Brand safety compliance in Saudi digital ads improved to 92% in 2023, monitored by Integral Ad Science across 500 campaigns
- FMCG sector allocated 22% of its SAR 3.5 billion media budget to Saudi TV in 2023, focusing on family drama sponsorships
- Total ad spend in Saudi media forecasted at SAR 14.5 billion for 2024, with 52% digital allocation
- Radio ad revenues in Saudi climbed to SAR 650 million in 2023, 20% from drive-time traffic reports
- Retail sector media spend totaled SAR 2.1 billion in 2023, 30% on social media retargeting
- CTV (connected TV) ad impressions served 8 billion in Saudi 2023, up 45% via Roku and Samsung Ads
- Telecom ads dominated Saudi media at SAR 1.4 billion spend in 2023, promoting 5G bundles on YouTube
- Event sponsorships in media events like Riyadh Season cost SAR 1.8 billion in 2023 activations
- Native advertising effectiveness scored 4.2/5 in Saudi consumer surveys 2023, boosting recall by 28%
- Gaming ad market in Saudi media reached SAR 550 million in 2023, integrated into Free Fire tournaments
Advertising and Revenue Interpretation
Saudi Arabia's media landscape is now a high-stakes digital bazaar where Ramadan TV drama sponsorships, mall billboards, and influencer-endorsed gaming tournaments all compete for the kingdom's attention—and a slice of that forecasted SAR 14.5 billion pie.
Digital and Social Media
- Saudi digital media ad spend surged to SAR 4.2 billion in 2023, representing 45% of total media expenditure with social platforms leading
- Snapchat daily active users in Saudi Arabia hit 18.5 million in Q4 2023, with 75% of population aged 13-34 engaging daily for news and entertainment
- Shahid.net, MBC's streaming platform, amassed 25 million monthly active users in Saudi Arabia in 2023, streaming 1.5 billion minutes monthly
- YouTube penetration in Saudi reached 98% of internet users in 2023, with top channels like Telfaz11 garnering 500 million views yearly from local content
- Twitter (X) monthly users in Saudi Arabia stood at 14.2 million in 2023, driving 30% of news consumption via Saudi hashtags like #SaudiVision2030
- TikTok video views from Saudi creators exceeded 100 billion in 2023, with music and comedy shorts dominating 65% of content
- Instagram influencers in Saudi Arabia numbered over 50,000 with 1M+ followers in 2023, generating SAR 1.8 billion in sponsored posts
- Saudi online news portals like Sabq.org recorded 150 million monthly pageviews in 2023, up 25% from previous year
- Streaming video on demand (SVOD) subscribers in Saudi grew to 6.8 million in 2023, led by Netflix at 3.2 million paid accounts
- Saudi mobile internet users consumed 15 GB data monthly on average in 2023, with 40% allocated to social media video streaming
- Online video consumption in Saudi averaged 2.5 hours daily per user in 2023, 70% via mobile devices
- Facebook monthly active users in Saudi Arabia were 16.8 million in 2023, with 25% engagement in live video news
- Jahez app integrated media streaming, reaching 10 million users with embedded short-form content in 2023
- Saudi podcasts downloads hit 450 million in 2023, led by Anghami platform with 60% news/talk share
- LinkedIn professionals in Saudi media sector numbered 120,000 in 2023, sharing 5 million posts annually
- Gaming streaming on Twitch from Saudi grew 300% to 2 million hours watched monthly in 2023
- Saudi OTT market valued at SAR 2.9 billion in 2023, with 55% ARPU growth for premium tiers
- WhatsApp status updates for media sharing reached 90% usage among Saudis in 2023 surveys
- E-sports media coverage generated 1.5 billion impressions online in Saudi 2023 events
Digital and Social Media Interpretation
Saudi Arabia’s media landscape has officially been conquered by the glow of screens, where billions of riyals, views, and minutes flow not through traditional channels, but through the relentless scroll of a population that gets its news, entertainment, and identity primarily from the vibrant, fragmenting world of social and streaming platforms.
Print and Publishing
- Saudi Arabia's print media circulation peaked at 2.1 million daily copies in 2022 before declining 5% due to digital shift, led by Al Riyadh newspaper at 180,000 copies
- Okaz newspaper, one of Saudi's oldest, published 365 daily editions with an average of 120 pages in 2023, focusing on national news and opinion pieces
- The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) distributed over 250,000 news articles in Arabic and English in 2023, serving 1,200 print and digital outlets
- Asharq Al-Awsat daily circulation reached 150,000 in Saudi markets in 2022, with 40% subscription growth from digital-print hybrids
- Magazine sector in Saudi Arabia featured 450 titles in 2023, with Sayidaty women's magazine leading at 90,000 monthly copies sold
- Al Jazirah newspaper invested SAR 50 million in newsprint upgrades for eco-friendly paper in 2023, maintaining 140,000 daily print run
- Saudi print media ad revenues fell to SAR 850 million in 2023, down 12% YoY as advertisers shifted to digital platforms
- Number of registered print journalists in Saudi Arabia reached 8,500 in 2023, with 60% contributing to major dailies like Al Watan
- Sabq newspaper's print edition averaged 110,000 copies daily in 2023, supplemented by 2.5 million online unique visitors
- Saudi comic and children's print sector produced 120 new titles in 2022, distributed 1.2 million copies through Dar Al-Suqour publishing house
- Print media employed 15,000 full-time staff in Saudi Arabia in 2023, down 8% from 2020 due to automation
- Al Yaum newspaper in Eastern Province printed 75,000 copies daily in 2023, with 55% ad pages from local businesses
- Saudi book publishing output reached 4,500 titles in 2023, 60% non-fiction aligned with educational reforms
- English-language print media like Arab News circulated 45,000 copies weekly in 2023, targeting expats
- Weekly magazines in Saudi totaled 200 titles in 2023, with Al Majalla political mag at 80,000 copies peak issue
- Newsprint imports for Saudi publishers cost SAR 320 million in 2023, sourced 70% from Europe and Asia
- Digital replicas of print newspapers reached 1.8 million subscriptions in 2023 via apps like PressReader
- Saudi Gazette, bilingual daily, printed 50,000 copies in 2023, with 40% content on Vision 2030 projects
- Religious print media like Okaz Hajj edition distributed 500,000 copies free in 2023
Print and Publishing Interpretation
Even as its digital tide rises, Saudi Arabia's print media remains a surprisingly robust and deeply invested archipelago of information, where venerable newspapers still turn massive page counts, specialty magazines command loyal audiences, and substantial investments in quality and content prove the physical word is far from its final edition.
Regulatory Framework and Market Trends
- Saudi Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) enforced media ownership laws limiting foreign stake to 49% in 2023, impacting 20 mergers
- General Commission for Audiovisual Media (GCAM) issued 450 content licenses in 2023, prioritizing Vision 2030 aligned cultural productions
- Saudi media market projected to grow at 6.8% CAGR to SAR 25 billion by 2027, per PwC outlook focusing on digital transformation
- 75% of Saudi media companies complied with new data localization rules in 2023, storing user data within kingdom borders
- Ministry of Media launched National Media Strategy 2023-2030, allocating SAR 5 billion for content localization and training 50,000 professionals
- Internet censorship blocked 1.2 million URLs related to media content in Saudi in 2023, per CITC transparency report
- Female representation in Saudi media workforce reached 32% in 2023, up from 18% in 2018 due to regulatory quotas
- Saudi Aramco sponsored 15 major media events in 2023 with SAR 300 million, aligning with national diversification goals
- Market concentration: Top 5 media groups controlled 65% of Saudi ad revenues in 2023, led by MBC and Rotana
- Media piracy losses estimated at SAR 2.2 billion in Saudi 2023, prompting stricter GCAM enforcement
- 95% broadband coverage achieved in Saudi by 2023, enabling 5G media streaming for 25 million users
- Saudi media exports grew 22% to SAR 1.5 billion in 2023, targeting MENA and Asia markets
- AI content moderation deployed across 80% Saudi media platforms in 2023, flagging 15 million violations
- Public media funding from government totaled SAR 3.2 billion in 2023 for SBC and SPA operations
- 120 new media startups licensed under sandbox regulations in 2023, focusing on AR/VR content
- Consumer media spend per capita rose to SAR 420 in 2023, 40% on subscriptions and PPV events
- Cross-media ownership approvals granted to 12 conglomerates in 2023 by CITC, enhancing synergies
Regulatory Framework and Market Trends Interpretation
Saudi Arabia is meticulously sculpting its media landscape into a fortress of national vision, blending protectionist ownership laws, strategic state funding, and aggressive digital expansion to cultivate a homegrown industry that exports its narrative as fiercely as it polices its borders.
Television Broadcasting
- In 2023, Saudi Arabia's television broadcasting market reached a value of SAR 12.5 billion, marking a 7.2% year-on-year growth driven by increased subscriptions to pay-TV services like OSN and Shahid
- MBC Group, the largest free-to-air broadcaster in the Middle East, aired over 5,200 hours of original Arabic content in 2022 across its 20+ channels targeting Saudi audiences
- Saudi TV households numbered 9.8 million in 2023, with 68% penetration rate for smart TVs enabling streaming services integration
- Rotana TV network held a 22.4% audience share in prime time slots in Saudi Arabia during Ramadan 2023, boosted by live sports and drama series
- The Saudi Broadcasting Authority licensed 15 new satellite TV channels in 2022, focusing on news, sports, and entertainment genres
- Average daily TV viewing time in Saudi Arabia stood at 3.8 hours per person in 2023, highest among Gulf countries due to family-oriented content
- SBC (Saudi Broadcasting Corporation) invested SAR 1.2 billion in 4K and HDR content production for its 12 national channels in 2023
- Pay-TV subscribers in Saudi Arabia grew to 4.5 million in 2023, with OSN capturing 42% market share through premium Hollywood and Arabic content bundles
- During 2023, sports broadcasting rights for the Saudi Pro League were acquired by SSC (Saudi Sports Company) for SAR 2.8 billion over 5 years
- Female-targeted channels like SBC1 and Odah TV reached 55% of Saudi women viewers aged 18-45 in 2023 surveys
- In 2023, Saudi Arabia's TV market saw 8.2% growth to SAR 13.7 billion, fueled by sports rights and OTT convergence
- Al Ekhbariya news channel broadcast 18 hours daily in 2023, covering 95% local events with 2.1 million weekly viewers
- Saudi digital terrestrial TV (DTT) coverage reached 99.5% of population in 2023 via 45 multiplexes
- Prime time drama series on MBC1 averaged 15.4 million viewers per episode during 2023 Eid
- Investment in Saudi TV studios exceeded SAR 800 million in 2023, creating 1,200 jobs in production hubs like Riyadh Season
- Kids TV segment grew 12% to SAR 900 million in 2023, with Spacetoon dominating 35% share among 2-12 age group
- Live news viewership on SBC channels spiked 40% during Hajj 2023 coverage, reaching 12 million unique viewers
- Saudi TV export revenues hit SAR 650 million in 2023, with dramas sold to 45 international markets
- 4.2 million households subscribed to IPTV services in Saudi Arabia in 2023, up 18% YoY
Television Broadcasting Interpretation
It seems Saudi Arabia's television market is evolving from a family gathering around a single free-to-air channel into a high-stakes, multi-billion-riyal ecosystem where everyone is vying for a piece of the viewer's substantial 3.8 daily hours, whether through premium sports rights, glossy 4K dramas, or the subtle art of the Ramadan prime-time cliffhanger.
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