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| Saudi Alarab TV channel halts hours after launch | Saudi Alarab TV channel halts hours after launch |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A new Saudi Arabian pan-Arab news channel has stopped scheduled broadcasting less than 24 hours after going on air from studios in Bahrain. | A new Saudi Arabian pan-Arab news channel has stopped scheduled broadcasting less than 24 hours after going on air from studios in Bahrain. |
| Alarab TV, owned by billionaire Saudi businessman, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, launched with the promise of politically independent news coverage. | Alarab TV, owned by billionaire Saudi businessman, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, launched with the promise of politically independent news coverage. |
| One of its first guests was a prominent Bahraini opposition figure, drawing criticism from pro-government media. | One of its first guests was a prominent Bahraini opposition figure, drawing criticism from pro-government media. |
| Alarab said it had stopped for "technical and administrative reasons". | Alarab said it had stopped for "technical and administrative reasons". |
| The channel reverted to showing promotional video and said it would be "back soon". | The channel reverted to showing promotional video and said it would be "back soon". |
| Bahrain's information ministry said the channel had been temporarily suspended for administrative and technical purposes. | |
| It said it was working with Alarab management to resolve the matter, and that the channel was expected to resume broadcasting shortly. | |
| Bahrain daily, Akhbar al-Khaleej, claimed the suspension was due to the channel "not adhering to the norms prevalent in Gulf countries". | Bahrain daily, Akhbar al-Khaleej, claimed the suspension was due to the channel "not adhering to the norms prevalent in Gulf countries". |
| Khalil Marzook, a prominent critic of Bahrain's ruling Sunni royal family, appeared in an initial sequence on the channel. | Khalil Marzook, a prominent critic of Bahrain's ruling Sunni royal family, appeared in an initial sequence on the channel. |
| During the interview, Mr Marzook discussed the Bahraini government's decision on Saturday to strip 72 people of their citizenship. | During the interview, Mr Marzook discussed the Bahraini government's decision on Saturday to strip 72 people of their citizenship. |
| Last year Mr Marzook, assistant secretary general of Bahrain's main opposition group, Wefaq, was cleared of charges including "inciting terrorism". | Last year Mr Marzook, assistant secretary general of Bahrain's main opposition group, Wefaq, was cleared of charges including "inciting terrorism". |
| Bahrain has been wracked by unrest since a Shia-led uprising in 2011 pushing for greater rights from the Sunni-led government. | Bahrain has been wracked by unrest since a Shia-led uprising in 2011 pushing for greater rights from the Sunni-led government. |
| Alarab is the latest pan-Arab TV channel to enter the market, following the likes of Qatar's Al-Jazeera and Saudi Dubai-based Al-Arabiya. | Alarab is the latest pan-Arab TV channel to enter the market, following the likes of Qatar's Al-Jazeera and Saudi Dubai-based Al-Arabiya. |
| Jamal Kashoggi, Alarab's general manager, told AFP the channel chose to transmit from Bahrain because Saudi Arabia does not allow "independent" channels. | Jamal Kashoggi, Alarab's general manager, told AFP the channel chose to transmit from Bahrain because Saudi Arabia does not allow "independent" channels. |