Dubai (AFP) – Bahrain on Monday announced the closure of a new pan-Arab news channel, owned by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, which had vowed to practise “objective” journalism.
The Alarab News Channel, launched on February 1, was on air for only a few hours before reverting to promotional material while trying to resolve “technical and administrative” issues.
“It has been decided to halt the activities of Alarab, the channel not having received the necessary permits,” a statement from the Bahrain Information Affairs Authority said on Monday.
Shortly after its launch on February 1, programming was interrupted after Alarab broadcast an interview with a pro democracy politician in Bahrain.
The interview with a deputy of jailed leader Sheikh Ali Salman sparked criticism in the pro-government Bahraini daily Akhbar al-Khaleej.
The newspaper said it learnt that Alarab was taken off the air for “not adhering to the norms prevalent in Gulf countries”.
Bahrain is gripped by pro-democracy movement for past several years.
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