Under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the 5th Saudi Media Forum 2026 will open tomorrow (Monday) in Riyadh from February 2 to 4 under the slogan “Media that shapes the world”. More than 300 media professionals, experts and academics from around the world will participate in the forum, exploring the future of the media industry, its challenges and opportunities in 150 interactive sessions.
Salman Al Dosari, Minister of Information, expressed his gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their continued support to the media sector, stressing that the generous sponsorship embodies the leadership’s belief in the media’s role as a strategic partner in development and soft power that reflects the profound transformation the Kingdom is witnessing.
Al-Dosari noted that the holding of the forum coincides with the 10th anniversary of the Saudi Vision 2030, which transitioned the Saudi media from the role of a broadcaster to an influencer, and stressed that the forum will examine these achievements and forecast future prospects.
He said: “The forum’s slogan (media that shapes the world) reflects Riyadh’s position as a leader in the media scene regionally and internationally by moving from consuming content to pioneering innovation and building an advanced media environment that keeps pace with geopolitical and technological changes, thereby strengthening the Kingdom’s position as a global media center that brings together decision-makers who will shape the future of the industry.”
Forum Chairman Mohammed bin Fahd Al Harithi explained that the fifth edition was made in response to changes in the arena that impose a redefinition of the role of media institutions in light of artificial intelligence and changing reception patterns, indicating that the Forum’s agenda will focus on restoring trust in media messages and building deep and impactful narratives.
Al Harithi launched the “Boulevard 2030” area for the first time on the sidelines of the future of media exhibition “FOMEX”, where the country’s major achievements, including NEOM, Diriyah and Qudiya projects, can be seen live, revealing that the forum will serve as a bridge connecting media professionals and visitors to the realities of accelerating Saudi development.
Under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the 5th Saudi Media Forum 2026 will open tomorrow (Monday) in Riyadh and will be held from February 2 to 4 under the slogan “Media that shapes the world.” More than 300 media experts, experts and academics from around the world will participate in the forum, which will include 150 discussion sessions exploring the future of the media industry, its challenges and opportunities.
Salman Al Dosari, Minister of Media, expressed his gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their continued support to the media sector, affirming that this generous patronage embodies the leadership’s belief in the role of the media as a strategic partner in development and soft power, reflecting the major changes taking place in the Kingdom.
Al-Dosari noted that the forum coincides with the 10th anniversary of the launch of the Saudi Vision 2030, which transformed the Saudi media from mere outlets to influencers, and stressed that the forum will showcase these achievements and look to future prospects.
He said, “The forum’s slogan (media shaping the world) reflects Riyadh’s position to lead the regional and international media scene through a transition from content consumption to innovation leadership and to build an advanced media environment that keeps pace with geopolitical and technological changes, thereby cementing the Kingdom’s position as a global media hub that brings together decision-makers to shape the future of the industry.”
Meanwhile, Forum President Mohammed bin Fahd Al Harithi explained that the fifth edition is in response to changing times that require the role of media institutions to be redefined in light of artificial intelligence and changing reception patterns, noting that the forum’s agenda will focus on restoring trust in media messages and building deep and impactful narratives.
Al-Kharishi revealed for the first time the launch of the “Boulevard 2030” area, which will accompany the Future of Media exhibition “FOMEX” and serve as a live window to the Kingdom’s major achievements, including NEOM, Diriyah and Qudiya projects, and revealed that the forum will serve as a bridge connecting media professionals and visitors to the fast-paced realities of Saudi development.
