 It is run by the BBC World Service and funded from the British television licence fee.In 1994, BBC Arabic Television was launched by Rome-based Orbit Communications Company (owned by King Fahd's cousin, Prince Khalid ibn Abdullah) and a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian Mawarid Holding.On 21 April 1996, it was "pulled off the air" following an episode of "Panorama" that was critical of the Saudi Arabian government.