JEDDAH,Nov 18(Arab News): Every year the annual rituals of Haj are the subject of international media coverage. This year has seen an increase in the number of media organizations covering the event.

These organizations included prominent TV channels, news agencies, radio stations and international newspapers, such as CNN, BBC, Reuters, Associated Press, Agence France Press, Turkey's Jihan News Agency, NBC, ABC, Malaysia's SCTV and Astro Channel, Britain's Islam TV, Korea's KBC, Russia Today Channel, Indonesian TV, France 3, MBC, Al-Arabiya, Al-Jazeera Network, Al-Hurra TV and Japan's NHK TV.

Ministry of Culture and Information Undersecretary for Foreign Information Abdulaziz bin Saleh bin Salma noted that his department has worked under strict instructions to prepare fully equipped media centers for all media delegations participating in this year's Haj coverage.

High speed Internet and telecommunication services have been provided in addition to assisting in the broadcast and upload of television and radio messages and materials.

Ministry Counselor and General Supervisor of Saudi TV Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz Al-Hazza said that Saudi TV's preparations for this year's Haj coverage included obtaining the latest technologies. Twelve coverage vans were scattered around the holy sites to ensure comprehensive and diversified coverage. The vans were equipped with 75 digital cameras with zoom lenses.

Al-Hazza added that 11 satellite links were employed to facilitate outside coverage and provide stations and channels with all the scenes from Haj. Ten mobile units were used for coverage of officials' visits and the efforts of other governmental sectors in the season. As for broadcast studios in the holy sites, Al-Hazza noted that four fully equipped studios in Arafat and three in Mina were made available to all TV channels in addition to their use in the live coverage of Saudi TV's Channel 1 and Al-Ekhbariya.

The delegations sent by several local newspapers to cover this year's season have faced a number of difficulties in their work due to insufficient preparations.

Ahmed Al-Amry, editor for Al-Hayat newspaper, said some of the difficulties his delegation faced included the long distance from the delegation's base to the Jamrat Bridge and government locations in Mina; the lack of Internet services in the first days; the lack of transportation and detailed maps showing the locations of different Haj missions; and the fact that local newspapers do not have media centers in Arafat.