Wikileaks: Saudi Arabia has bailed out failing Middle East media organizations in exchange for pro
Prince Saud al-Faisal
And tellingly  on a recommendation from  Prince Saud al-Faisal  the kingdom's foreign minister  for nearly 40 years before  he  stepped down in April  the money was disbursed in four installments over two years â thus allowing Saudi authorities to review every six months whether MTV was living up to its part of the deal.
For example  a prominent Egyptian TV talk show host  Wael el-Obrashi  was dropped from a list of top Egyptian media figures treated to an all-expenses-paid trip to Saudi Arabia because of "his repeated  unjustified attacks on the kingdom " according to one cable from  Prince Saud .
Another cable from  Prince Saud  recommended financial backing for a Lebanese center to defend journalists set up by May Chidiac  a prominent anchorwoman who lost an arm and a leg when a bomb exploded under her car in 2005. Citing a recommendation from the Saudi Embassy in Beirut   the prince  said the funding would allow the kingdom to use  her  center to promote Saudi policies.
In Egypt  the Saudi ambassador protested to Naguib Sawiris  founder of the privately owned ONTV network  over the appearance of a Saudi dissident  Saad al-Faqih  on one of its talk shows  according to a cable from  Prince Saud . The station said it would not invite al-Faqih again and asked the ambassador to appear on the program at a later date.
In 2004  the chairman of the state news agency in Guinea wrote to the Saudi Embassy in Conakry reminding him to send $2 000  saying the money "solves many of the problems faced by the agency " according to a cable from  Prince Saud  to the Culture and Information Ministry.
Repeated calls to the agency's offices went unanswered  but a person familiar with its dealings said the funding request was sent to  the Saudi minister  in 2004 by then director Kandet Oumar Toure. He spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the subject.
"His request for a new home is grossly exaggerated and is disproportionate to the services he has provided to the kingdom " wrote  Prince Saud . Granting  his  request   he  added  would encourage others to make similar demands.
And tellingly  on a recommendation from  [TGT] for nearly 40 years before   [TGT]   stepped down in April  the money was disbursed in four installments over two years â thus allowing Saudi authorities to review every six months whether MTV was living up to its part of the deal.
For example  a prominent Egyptian TV talk show host  Wael el-Obrashi  was dropped from a list of top Egyptian media figures treated to an all-expenses-paid trip to Saudi Arabia because of "his repeated  unjustified attacks on the kingdom " according to one cable from  Prince Saud .
Another cable from  Prince Saud  recommended financial backing for a Lebanese center to defend journalists set up by May Chidiac  a prominent anchorwoman who lost an arm and a leg when a bomb exploded under her car in 2005. Citing a recommendation from the Saudi Embassy in Beirut   the prince  said the funding would allow the kingdom to use  her  center to promote Saudi policies.
In Egypt  the Saudi ambassador protested to Naguib Sawiris  founder of the privately owned ONTV network  over the appearance of a Saudi dissident  Saad al-Faqih  on one of its talk shows  according to a cable from  Prince Saud . The station said it would not invite al-Faqih again and asked the ambassador to appear on the program at a later date.
In 2004  the chairman of the state news agency in Guinea wrote to the Saudi Embassy in Conakry reminding him to send $2 000  saying the money "solves many of the problems faced by the agency " according to a cable from  Prince Saud  to the Culture and Information Ministry.
Repeated calls to the agency's offices went unanswered  but a person familiar with its dealings said the funding request was sent to  the Saudi minister  in 2004 by then director Kandet Oumar Toure. He spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the subject.
"His request for a new home is grossly exaggerated and is disproportionate to the services he has provided to the kingdom " wrote   [TGT]  . Granting   [TGT]   request    [TGT]   added  would encourage others to make similar demands.