Sharjah Ruler issues law organising SBA

H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has issued law No. 1 of 2019 to organise the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, SBA.

The law states that the SBA's main headquarters will be in Sharjah city and upon approval by the Sharjah Media Council, SMC, and pursuant to the Sharjah Executive Council (SEC's) agreement, it may set up branches in all the cities and regions of the emirate.

Pursuant to the new law, the SBA’s objectives include the development of several national media cadres; employment of the best practices and the most successful experiences of the public and private media institutions in the country in coordination with the concerned authorities; strengthening the role of the media in all areas; enhancing the media competitiveness in the Emirate; working to cover local, regional and international media events; ensuring to adhere to ethical media principles; and broadcasting of meaningful contents and programs aimed at serving the community.

The authority will have the following competencies: the establishment and management of the audio-visual and print media in the Emirate and work on its development: conducting studies and research in all media fields in order to serve the objectives of the Authority; carrying out all works related to audio, visual and digital media; holding agreements, memorandums of understanding and partnerships after approval of the Sharjah Executive Council; exchanging of experiences with other media institutions and entities, as well as any other competencies assigned to the authority by the Ruler of Sharjah or the Executive Council.

In accordance with the law, several media entities and institutions will be affiliated to the authority, including, Sharjah TV, Sharjah Sport TV, Al Wousta from Al Dhaid HD channel; Al Sharqiya channel from Kalba; Sharjah Channel 2; Sharjah Radio; Sharjah Quran Radio; PULSE 95; News Centre in the Authority; and Sharjah Media Training Centre as well as any other media entity to assigned by a decision of the ruler of Sharjah or the Executive Council. The directors of these media bodies will be fully and directly responsible to the director-general for the conduct of the work of their media entities and within the limits of their powers.

The authority’s director-general will be appointed by an Emiri Decree, assisted by a sufficient number of staff and experts in accordance with its organisational structure. He will have the necessary authority and powers to manage the authority's affairs and take the needed decisions to achieve its various objectives.

The law also stated that the authority’s organisational structure will be issued by an Emiri Decree.

The authority's financial resources consist of government allocations; the authority's own revenue; the income from the authority's investment and any other resources approved by the Sharjah Executive Council.

Decisions issued by the Executive Council, based on the review of the director-general's proposal and the approval of the council, shall be issued by the Board of Directors on matters which are not regulated by this law and which do not contradict or conflicts with its provision.

The authority will be exempted from all local government taxes and fees in all its forms and manifestations, with the exception of consumption charges.

The Decree will be effective from the date of its issuance and other competent authorities should implement its provisions each in its respective field, and they will be published in the Official Gazette. Any provision contrary to the provisions of this law will be repealed.

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