Press
Saudi and foreign newspapers and magazines, including advertising, are strictly controlled by censorship officials to remove content that is offensive. Newspapers and magazines must not offend or criticize the Wahabi Muslims and specially The Royal family, Wahabi government officials or government version of Islamic morality.
Censorship of foreign newspapers and magazines tends to focus on content of sexual nature. Nudity and pornography are illegal in the kingdom and this can extend to inking out public displays or affection like hugging and kissing, the uncovered arms and legs of women and men or anything deemed to be promoting sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication or homosexuality. Even advertising for driving classes for women is banned.
In 1994, all women magazines were banned by the ministry of information. This move was considered to be related to the pressures of the religious establishment or ulema. After this ban, nineteen of total magazines (twenty-four) were closed down since their major revenue was advertisement earnings paid by the Saudi companies.
Read more about this topic: Censorship In Saudi Arabia
Famous quotes containing the word press:
“My advice to any diplomat who wants to have a good press is to have two or three kids and a dog.”
—Carl Rowan (b. 1925)
“Our press is certainly bankrupt in the “thrill of awe”Motherwise reverence: reverence for nickel plate and brummagem. Let us sincerely hope that this fact will remain a fact forever; for to my mind a discriminating irreverence is the creator and protector of human liberty.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)
“I press not to the quire, nor dare I greet
The holy place with my unhallowed feet;
My unwashed Muse pollutes not things divine,
Nor mingles her profaner notes with thine;
Here humbly at the porch she listening stays,
And with glad ears sucks in thy sacred lays.”
—Thomas Carew (1589–1639)