Riyadh to host Saudi Media Forum in February 2027

Saudi Arabia’s next Media Forum will take place in Riyadh from February 1 to 3, 2027, under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, organisers have confirmed.

Mohammed bin Fahad Al-Harthi, president of the Saudi Media Forum, reiterated the dates during a reception on the sidelines of MIPCOM, the international television and entertainment industry market in Cannes, France. The gathering brought together representatives of international companies, producers and senior media executives, providing a platform to promote the sixth edition to potential overseas participants.

Organisers expect more than 300 speakers and experts to take part, alongside approximately 250 media companies and organisations. The planned programme includes more than 150 sessions and workshops addressing changes in content production, broadcasting, digital platforms and the commercial structure of the media industry. These participation figures remain targets rather than confirmed attendance totals.

Al-Harthi said Saudi Arabia was drawing on its institutions, resources and development plans to address challenges while pursuing economic transformation. His remarks at the Cannes reception also emphasised the country’s intention to turn difficulties into opportunities, placing the forum within a wider effort to attract international partnerships and expertise.

The February dates had already been announced in July, when the royal patronage and the sixth edition were confirmed. The presentation in Cannes therefore marked an international promotion of the scheduled event rather than a change to its timing or location.

The forum is intended to connect media executives, policymakers, investors, technology providers and content creators at a time when artificial intelligence and changing audience habits are reshaping production and distribution. Organisers have identified digital transformation, professional development and cross-border cooperation among the areas for discussion.

A parallel Future of Media Exhibition, known as FOMEX, is planned to bring together businesses involved in broadcasting, production equipment, digital content and emerging technologies. The exhibition component offers companies an opportunity to demonstrate products and meet prospective partners, while the conference programme concentrates on industry debates and professional exchanges.

The forum’s official materials identify artificial intelligence, extended reality and other production technologies as subjects of interest. They also describe opportunities for workshops and partnerships, although detailed arrangements for individual sessions and the final list of speakers have not been published.

Saudi Media Forum organisers have separately outlined plans to increase international participation. Al-Harthi said the presence of overseas organisations could encourage cooperation in content creation, multiplatform distribution and skills development. The event’s commercial dimension includes meetings between companies seeking production partnerships, investment opportunities and access to new audiences.

The 2026 edition attracted 65,603 visitors over three days, according to figures published by the forum. Its organisers also recorded more than 300 speakers, over 150 sessions and workshops, and upwards of 200 participating and exhibiting organisations. Those figures provide a benchmark for the scale being envisaged for February, although visitor numbers for 2027 cannot yet be established.

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Media, Salman bin Yousef Al-Dosari, welcomed the royal patronage when the sixth edition was announced. He described the forum as a venue for discussing the industry’s future, introducing initiatives and building international partnerships. He also linked its programme to innovation and the development of professional capabilities within the Saudi media sector.

The organisers have sought to broaden the forum’s international engagement through meetings with foreign media professionals. Discussions have covered joint content production, exchanges of editorial expertise, training and access to information, with proposals intended to feed into the next gathering in Riyadh.

MIPCOM, where the latest presentation took place, is a meeting point for television distributors, producers, broadcasters and streaming businesses. Announcing the Riyadh programme to participants there gives the Saudi event direct access to companies operating across international content markets, rather than limiting its outreach to domestic industry organisations.

The forum’s website lists the three February dates and provides registration and exhibition information. The organisers have not yet supplied a complete public timetable identifying every session, confirmed speaker and participating company. Further programme details will determine how the announced themes are divided between conference discussions, technical demonstrations and business meetings.

The accompanying Saudi Media Award is another element of the forum’s programme. Official information about the previous edition lists 14 award tracks, alongside educational platforms and initiatives. Details of the 2027 award categories, submission arrangements and presentation schedule will require separate confirmation from organisers before participants can make plans.