The Saudi Press Agency “SPA” was established by Royal Decree No. (20476) issued on the 25th of Dhul-Qi’dah 1390 AH corresponding to January 23, 1971 CE and its head office is in Riyadh.
In 1978 AD, SPA was able to implement permanent direct transmission within the news services distribution network in order to accommodate the movement of news transmission from and to the Kingdom, to be broadcast in three main directions covering fifty countries in the Middle East, North Africa, East and Central Africa, Southern Europe, and Western Asia.
In 1982, SPA used the latest means of communication to connect its subscribers to a network of direct telegraph lines that operate via satellite and microwave, after it had previously used air frequencies that were affected by weather fluctuations and affect the degree of clarity of reception and transmission.
In 1997, SPA introduced the computer service in its media and administrative work, and introduced with it the digital imaging service, and satellite services in broadcasting through four satellites to cover the world in both Arabic and English.
In 1999, the Agency’s first news was broadcast on the Internet at wspa.gov.sa, including news: political, economic, social, cultural, sports, and photographs.
In 2009, the second development phase of the WASS website was launched on the Internet, designed in a way that ensures that the browser obtains information in an easy and accessible way, and was enriched with information and services that give it dynamism and strength in the multiplicity of choices, in addition to the professional tabulation of the site, and video broadcasting.
SPA is a founding member of the Federation of Arab Agencies (Fana), the Federation of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and a member of the Organization of Asia and Pacific News Agencies (Awana) since 2001, and a member of the International Council of News Agencies since 2013. She chaired the work of the Fourth International Conference of News Agencies, which was held in November 2013 in Riyadh.
In 2011, “SPA” began broadcasting its news on social media platforms: Twitter and Facebook, in 2013 broadcasting on: Instagram, and in 2015 broadcasting on: YouTube and Twitter in the languages: English and Farsi, and in 2016 broadcasting on: Twitter is in French, and in 2017, broadcast on: Snapchat, and Telegram.
In May 2012, the Council of Ministers issued a decision to transform the Saudi Press Agency into an independent public authority whose board of directors is chaired by His Excellency the Minister of Information.
In January 2016, the new version of the SPA portal and its new identity was launched, and SPA added its news broadcast in English and French, broadcasting in Chinese, Russian, and Farsi.
In May 2016, SPA’s new building was inaugurated in Al-Sahafa District in Riyadh. It includes a conference center consisting of: a theater that can accommodate more than 356 people, a television transmission studio, translation rooms, offices, training rooms, seating and hospitality areas, and car parking. closed.
In 2017, SPA transmitted the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 in six languages: Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Malaysian, Spanish and German.
In 2019, SPA launched new accounts on Twitter: the royal news account, the public account, the economic account, the sports account, the quality of life account, in addition to Twitter accounts in the languages: English, French, and Farsi.
SPA has received a number of local and international awards in the fields of: photography, and specialized press reporting.