The following terms - wherever they appear in this regulation - shall have the meanings specified next to each, unless the context requires otherwise:

Minister: Minister of Media.

Agency: Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

Council: Board of Directors of the Agency.

Regulation: Regulation of the Agency.

The agency shall have a public legal personality, with financial and administrative independence (as a public entity), and it shall be organizationally linked to the Minister. Its main headquarters shall be in the city of Riyadh, and it may - when necessary - establish branches and offices inside and outside the Kingdom.

The agency aims to achieve the following:

1- Covering events, issues, and various activities, monitoring and documenting them at the local, regional, and international levels, particularly those related to the Kingdom.

2- Broadcasting local, regional, and international news, marketing it, and distributing it to individuals and media institutions, providing them with all news services.

3- Publishing the contents of laws, decisions, and regulations in the Kingdom, and raising community awareness about them.

4- Contributing to the enhancement of media and journalistic professionalism in the Kingdom.

5- Keeping pace with changes and utilizing professional and technical developments in its area of expertise.

Without prejudice to the competencies of other entities, the agency shall undertake to achieve its objectives - including but not limited to - the following tasks and responsibilities:

1- Providing news reporting services and press materials that are collected and prepared from various sources inside and outside the Kingdom, broadcasting them, and distributing them.

2- Exchanging information and professional and technical facilities with regional and international news agencies.

3- Preparing studies, research, specialized bulletins, opinion polls, and news reporting services.

4- Publishing and distributing global news from its branches and foreign offices or from its agencies, broadcasts, and correspondents.

5- Documenting the aspects of cooperation with regional and global news agencies, and strengthening ties with regional and global news agency federations.

6- Establishing agencies that perform activities related to the nature of its work or contributing to their establishment, in agreement with the Ministry of Finance, and in accordance with the relevant legal procedures.

7- Carrying out all media and news-related tasks and any other work connected or related to them.

8- Publishing government and commercial announcements, without prejudice to confidentiality matters.

9- Documenting developmental achievements, distributing them, marketing them, and broadcasting them.

10- Participating in the preparation of the national media strategy, in coordination with the relevant entities.

• 1- The agency shall have a Board of Directors chaired by the Minister and composed of the following members:

  • A- The Head of the Agency.

  • B- A representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

  • C- A representative from the Ministry of Finance.

  • D- A representative from the General Commission for Audiovisual Media.

  • E- Two members with expertise and specialization, appointed by a decree from the Prime Minister based on a nomination from the Minister, with a membership term of (three) years, renewable once.

• 2- The ranks of the representatives of government entities must not be less than the (fourteenth) rank or its equivalent.

• 3- The Chair of the Council shall select a Deputy from among the members of the Council mentioned in paragraphs (ب, ج, د) of paragraph (1) of this article.

1- The Council meets periodically, with no less than (four) meetings per year, and whenever necessary as determined by the President of the Council or his deputy, or if requested by at least (one-third) of its members. The invitation to the meeting is sent by the President of the Council or his deputy - in writing - at least (seven) days prior to the meeting, and the invitation includes the agenda. The validity of the meeting requires the presence of a majority of the members, including the President of the Council or his deputy. Decisions are made by a majority of the votes of those present, and in the event of a tie, the side that the President of the meeting voted with prevails.

2- The meetings of the Council are held at the headquarters of the main agency. The Council may, by a decision of the President of the Council or his deputy, hold the meeting at any other location within the Kingdom.

3- Meetings and voting on decisions may be held remotely using technological means when necessary, and the decisions made in this manner are not valid unless all members of the Council vote on them. A decision is not effective unless it has the approval of at least a two-thirds majority. The decision made in this manner is presented to the Council at the first subsequent meeting to be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

4- No member may abstain from voting, nor may they delegate another to vote on their behalf in their absence.

5- The deliberations and decisions of the Council are recorded in minutes signed by the President of the meeting and the attending members. A member may register their objection with justification in the minutes of the Council meeting.

6- The President of the Council or his deputy may invite any specialists and experts they deem appropriate to attend the Council meetings, to provide information, opinions, and advice, without having the right to vote.

7- The Council shall have a Secretary from among the agency's staff, chosen by the President of the Council based on the nomination of the Head of the Agency, who shall be responsible for the secretariat of the Council, preparing for meetings, and recording the minutes, deliberations, and decisions.

The Council is the highest authority in the agency, responsible for supervising it and managing its affairs. It has the authority to take the necessary decisions and procedures to achieve the objectives for which it was established in accordance with the provisions of the law and the regulations issued thereunder. Specifically, it has the following responsibilities:

1- Approving the general policies of the agency related to its activities, and approving the plans and programs necessary for their implementation, as well as monitoring their execution after approval.

2- Proposing draft laws related to the agency's competencies, suggesting amendments to the existing ones, and submitting them in accordance with the applicable legal procedures.

3- Supervising the agency's execution of the tasks and competencies assigned to it.

4- Approving the organizational structure of the agency.

5- Approving the financial regulations and administrative regulations that govern the agency, in agreement with the Ministry of Finance regarding the financial regulations and the provisions with financial implications in the administrative regulations, and in agreement with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development regarding the administrative regulations.

6- Approving other internal regulations that govern the agency.

7- Approving the draft budget of the agency, its final accounts, the auditor's report, and the annual report; in preparation for submitting them according to the applicable legal procedures.

8- Appointing an external certified auditor (or more) and an internal financial controller.

9- Accepting donations, contributions, endowments, aids, grants, and bequests, in accordance with the organized procedures for that.

10- Approving the conclusion of memoranda of understanding, agreements, and contracts, in accordance with the applicable legal procedures.

11- Reviewing the periodic reports submitted regarding the progress of work in the agency and its financial position.

12- Approving the establishment of agencies that perform activities related to the nature of its work, or contributing to their establishment, in agreement with the Ministry of Finance, and completing what is necessary.

13- Approving the establishment of branches and offices for the agency inside and outside the Kingdom.

14- Approving the financial compensation for the services and works provided by the agency, in accordance with the applicable legal procedures.

The Council may form permanent or temporary committees from its members or others, assigning them tasks it deems appropriate, specifying in the formation decision of each committee its chairperson, members, and competencies, and it may seek assistance from whoever it deems necessary to perform the tasks assigned to it.

The Council may delegate some of its powers to its chairperson or to any member of the Council or to any of the agency's staff.

The agency shall have a president appointed at the excellent rank, who is responsible for managing its affairs. His responsibilities are concentrated within the limits set by the regulations and what the Council decides, and he shall specifically undertake the following competencies:

1- Proposing the general policies of the agency related to its activities, proposing the necessary plans and programs for their implementation, submitting them to the Council for approval, and supervising their implementation after approval.

2- Supervising the preparation of the organizational structure of the agency, its administrative and financial regulations, and the internal regulations necessary for its operation, and submitting them to the Council for approval.

3- Supervising the progress of the agency's activities and work in accordance with the powers granted to him by the Council and what is determined by the relevant laws and regulations.

4- Proposing the services and works that can be provided and their financial compensation, and submitting that to the Council for approval.

5- Representing the agency before the judiciary, government entities, and other bodies inside and outside the Kingdom. He has the authority to delegate anyone he sees fit in this regard.

6- Implementing the Council's decisions and exercising the powers and authorities delegated to him by the Council.

7- Supervising the preparation of the agency's budget project, the annual report, and the final account project, and submitting them to the Council for approval.

8- Disbursing from the approved agency budget and taking all financial procedures in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations.

9- Preparing reports on the implementation of the agency's plans and programs and studying them, and presenting them to the Council.

10- Proposing plans to develop professional, technical, and reporting performance.

11- Contracting for the execution of works, services, and others, in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations.

12- Signing agreements, protocols, and contracts, in accordance with the approved regulatory procedures.

13- Following up on the implementation of the decisions and recommendations issued by the Council, and the decisions related to the agency's work.

14- Forming internal working committees (permanent and temporary), in accordance with the laws, regulations, policies, and procedures approved in the agency.

15- Utilizing the services of global news agencies and contracting with correspondents from inside and outside the Kingdom to obtain local and international news, reports, and analyses.

16- Supervising the agency's participation in conferences, events, festivals, and exhibitions at the local, regional, Arab, and international levels, in accordance with the applicable regulatory procedures.

17- Approving the necessary plans and programs for training, scholarship, and sending the agency's personnel in all areas of its work, in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations, and following up on their implementation.

18- Appointing employees in the agency in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations, and supervising them.

19- Seeking the assistance of specialized experts and consultants that the agency needs, in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations.

The president may delegate some of his competencies to anyone he sees fit among the agency's personnel.

• 1- The resources of the agency consist of the following:

  • A- The appropriations allocated to it in the state’s general budget.

  • B- The financial compensation it receives for the services and works it provides.

  • C- What the council accepts in terms of gifts, donations, endowments, aids, grants, and bequests.

  • D- Any other resource approved by the council that does not violate the regulations and instructions.

• 2- All revenues of the agency shall be deposited in the current account of the Ministry of Finance at the Saudi Central Bank.

• 3- The agency shall open an account for itself at the Saudi Central Bank. It may also open other accounts at any of the banks licensed to operate in the Kingdom, and withdrawals from these accounts shall be made according to the agency's budget.

The agency handles the exemption of its imports from customs duties in accordance with the rules applicable to the imports of public institutions.