The public relations aspects of a company owned and operated television station.

Abstract

The objective of this thesis is to offer a historical analysis of the Arabian-American Oil Company's television station, the impact of the television in this area, the problems encountered, an evaluation of the television endeavor and, finally, recommendations to the Public Relations Department. A brief study of all existing projects in world-wide educational television, in such countries as France, Japan, and the United States of America, will be made. A review of the existing facilities will be discussed as well as manpower and programing. The stated and unstated objectives in establishing a television station in Saudi Arabia will be revealed. The impact on the social, economic, and political way of life will be discussed. Aramco television is violently attacked by the local press and some foreign powers- the underlying motives behind these attacks will be reviewed, the underlying reasons for the station's self-imposed censorship, its nature, and the effect on the viewing public. An evaluation in terms of the stated and unstated objectives will be discussed and interpreted. Finally, a series of recommendations will be offered to the Public Relations Department of Aramco with a determined belief that these recommendations will ultimately yield a more fruitful return in terms of the public relations effort. [TRUNCATED]