No SMS votes, we're Saudis

November 2nd, 2005

Saudi Arabia's main mobile phone operator has banned its customers from voting by text message in a hit reality television show because it fails to "match the values" of the conservative Muslim kingdom.

State-owned Saudi Telecommunications Company said it had blocked its 9.5 million mobile phone customers from texting votes for their favourite musical contestants on satellite show Star Academy 2.

"We feel the program does not match the values of the Saudi culture," said spokesman Saad Dhafer. "Our social and economic market research shows that our customers want us to operate in line with these values."

But Dhafer added viewers in the kingdom were still be able to vote using a regular land line.

In Star Academy 2, a group of young musicians from across the Arab world share a house and are filmed 24 hours a day as they compete for a recording contract.