Who tells Saudi Arabia’s story is no longer a distant question for the Middle East; it is an increasingly European one. As Riyadh refines its ability to shape narratives through media control, transnational broadcasting, and global entertainment, the implications are beginning to reach into Europe’s own information space. What once appeared as regional influence is now a form of soft power projection that European policymakers can no longer afford to ignore.

At the core of Saudi Arabia’s domestic media system lies a model of calibrated control. Figures such as Awwad alAwwad, who has held key roles in information governance including minister of culture and information and later head of the Human Rights Commission, represent an institutional approach where media is not only regulated but strategically aligned with state objectives. This goes beyond traditional censorship. It is about narrative engineering: ensuring that reporting, commentary, and cultural output reinforce a coherent image of reform, stability, and modernisation under Vision 2030. Critical perspectives are not simply suppressed; they are structurally crowded out, with legal, economic, and political pressures working together to limit dissent.

This internal coherence becomes far more consequential when paired with external reach. Waleed alIbrahim’s MBC Group exemplifies how Saudilinked media extends influence across the Arab world and increasingly beyond it. With vast audiences and diversified content, MBC does more than entertain—it frames regional discourse. Its editorial positioning, while rarely overtly political,........

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