Alarab off air just hours after launch

The newly launched Alarab news channel was off air just hours after it launched from Bahrain on Sunday.

Broadband TV News reports programming at the channel owned by Saudi’s Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is still unavailable and at the moment a loop with a promotional video is being shown.

Commenting on the sudden suspension of its live broadcasts, the channel said on its Twitter account that broadcasting has “stopped for technical and administrative reasons and that it will be back soon.”

AFP quoted the head of media at Bahrain’s information ministry, Yusuf Mohammed, that “cooperation with Alarab’s administration is ongoing, in order to resume its broadcasts and complete necessary measures as soon as possible.”