[1] Broadcasting throughout the West Asia, Europe and North America, KSA 1 officially began transmissions on 7 July 1965[2] in black and white from Riyadh and Jeddah until 1974, when color broadcasting was introduced in Jeddah and Mecca.
[2] Saudi Arabian state television made its first broadcast on July 17, 1965, carrying signal tests in Riyadh and Jeddah.
The introduction of a national service was seen with controversy from conservative Islamic clerics, believing that television was the "devil's handiwork".
[4] With limited resources, Saudi Television broadcast from the two centers with a schedule that didn't surpass five hours a day.
[4] In December 2012, the Intelligence Bureau of India flagged Al Saudiya as a "hate channel" allegedly broadcasting anti-India programming.