The institutions responsible for regulating the press and media in Egypt are currently stepping up their efforts by organising expanded discussion sessions with various bodies, public figures and professional syndicates, with the aim of drawing up a clear plan to develop the media sector in the country.
This step comes in response to a call by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during a meeting held on 10 August last, attended by Prime Minister Dr Mostafa Madbouly and the heads of the media bodies, at which the president affirmed that the main goal is to enable the Egyptian media to perform its role effectively and keep pace with the rapid changes in the global landscape.
During the meeting, the president stressed the importance of formulating a comprehensive strategic vision for developing the media, one suited to the challenges facing the state and society and that strengthens the ability of media institutions to communicate with the public with awareness and professionalism. He also affirmed the state’s commitment to freedom of expression and to opening the field to various national opinions, in a way that contributes to consolidating intellectual pluralism and the principle of “opinion and counter-opinion” as one of the foundations of media work.
In this context, El-Sisi drew attention to the need to give opportunities to qualified young cadres, as an active party in producing modern media content, pointing out that developing the media should not be limited to traditional expertise alone. He also called for preparing training and educational programmes for those working in the field, covering the latest professional skills and technologies, with a focus on the concepts of national security and openness to pluralism.
For its part, the National Press Authority began holding dialogue sessions that brought together senior journalists, media figures and syndicate representatives, to listen to their opinions and proposals on development priorities.
It is worth noting that the National Press Authority, an Egyptian government body established under Law No. 92 of 2016 on the Institutional Regulation of the Press and Media, is responsible for managing state-owned press institutions and monitoring their performance.
The Supreme Council for Media Regulation also organised a series of meetings with the heads of satellite channels and a number of talk show and political programme presenters, to discuss mechanisms for improving media content and strengthening adherence to professional standards.
It should be noted that the Supreme Council for Media Regulation, established under Law No. 180 of 2018, is an independent body responsible for overseeing audiovisual and digital media, as well as print and online press.
The Head of the Journalists Syndicate Revives the Recommendations of the Sixth General Conference
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s call to draw up a roadmap for developing the Egyptian media comes after a series of repeated appeals by the Journalists Syndicate and a number of the profession’s elders regarding the need to revive the role of the Egyptian press and lift the state of siege and restriction the profession has been living under for nearly a decade. Since the storming of the Journalists Syndicate in 2016 and the arrest of journalists Amr Badr and Mahmoud El-Sakka on charges of publishing false news, demands have escalated for the need to reconsider the policies regulating press freedom and to open the public sphere to responsible professional practice.
The latest of these calls was what came out of the Journalists Syndicate’s Sixth General Conference, held last December, whose recommendations stressed the importance of the Egyptian press regaining its lustre and guaranteeing journalists’ right to work without harassment, along with reviewing the legislation regulating the media field and providing real guarantees for the editorial independence of press institutions.
In this context, journalist and writer Khaled El-Balshy, head of the Journalists Syndicate, believes that rescuing the journalism profession and developing the media in Egypt is no longer a luxury but has become a collective responsibility that requires a shared vision among the state, the syndicate, press institutions and civil society. Speaking to “Zawia3”, he stresses that the real starting point for any reform lies in putting in place clear guarantees that ensure journalists and media workers the freedom to address public affairs and express their opinions without restrictions or fears, in a way that enables them to perform their real role in society and convey citizens’ issues.
El-Balshy explained that the Journalists Syndicate’s Sixth General Conference, along with the demands of the General Assembly, presented an “integrated prescription” for getting out of the current predicament, based on four main pillars. The first is the urgent demands: foremost among them the release of all imprisoned journalists and prisoners of conscience not involved in acts of violence, with guarantees put in place to prevent others from joining the pretrial detention lists. They also include restoring the standing of the national (state-owned) press by renewing its blood through appointing the temporary staff who have been working for many years and have economic rights, and the top graduates of media faculties, in addition to adopting the syndicate card as the sole permit for field work, and lifting the block on blocked news websites.
Alongside legislative reform: this consists of issuing a freedom of information law in implementation of the text of Article 68 of the Constitution, abolishing custodial penalties in publishing cases, as well as amending the legislation regulating the press and media in a way that entrenches the independence of press institutions and removes the restrictions that limit freedom of opinion and expression. In addition to economic measures: the head of the Journalists Syndicate believes that the current economic crisis has multiplied the burdens on press institutions and journalists, which requires urgent interventions to support the press industry. These measures include approving customs exemptions on printing supplies, waiving interest on the debts of the national press institutions, setting a fair wage scale that guarantees a decent minimum for journalists, and facilitating the settlement of the social insurance status of hundreds of unemployed journalists, according to El-Balshy.
As well as the need to expand the public sphere: El-Balshy insists that developing the media cannot be achieved without expanding the spaces of freedom available for expressing opinion, stopping interference in syndicate work, and freeing the public sphere in a way that allows syndicates, parties and civil society organisations to move and work freely and interact with one another, as a basic condition for any productive dialogue or genuine development in the media field.
Concluding his remarks to “Zawia3”, the head of the Journalists Syndicate affirmed that press freedom is not a sectoral demand limited to those working in the profession, but rather “a lifeline for society as a whole”, adding: “A free media and a free press will always remain at the top of the guarantees for any political or social opening, and the foundation for building a more spacious homeland with room for everyone.”
Why Develop the Media Now?
Among the press leaders who took part in the discussion sessions called by the National Press Authority was journalist and writer Yehia Qallash, former head of the Journalists Syndicate, who, speaking to “Zawia3”, expresses his hope that the media development initiative represents a serious political will to restore the role of the press and media as an influential soft power, while warning at the same time against it turning into a mere “state of entertainment”, which would mean, in his words, squandering a historic opportunity to revive the role of the national media.
Speaking to “Zawia3”, Qallash believes: “that the absence of the role of the press and media in recent years has greatly harmed the major national issues and weakened Egypt’s ability to confront internal and external challenges. He stresses that restoring this role is not a luxury, but a necessity to protect national security and build genuine societal awareness.”
The former head of the Journalists Syndicate insists that developing the media will only be possible if the press is regarded as a partner in the solution, enjoying the respect of the state and legislative and professional support, stressing that any attempt at development without addressing the crisis of freedom and the economic and social rights of journalists will be no more than “temporary painkillers” that do not treat the core of the crisis.
The former head of the Journalists Syndicate calls for drawing on the results and recommendations of the Journalists Syndicate’s Sixth General Conference, which he described as having discussed the profession’s crises in depth with broad participation from journalists, media workers and experts, pointing out that such conferences, from the first conference in 1964 to the latest, contributed to formulating policies and legislation that had a direct impact on the future of the Egyptian press, and some of their recommendations were reflected even in the drafting of the latest constitution.
In this context, Dr Karem Mahmoud, former secretary-general of the Journalists Syndicate and professor at the Faculty of Mass Communication, speaking to “Zawia3”, believes that the call to develop the media imposes itself now for two main reasons. The first: the pressing regional and international circumstances, whether political, military or economic, are making some parties within the authorities search for a real way out of the crisis, and there is no way to do that except by lifting the stranglehold on society, in a way that guarantees a broad national alignment behind the state, as a unifying entity that transcends governments and regimes.
As for the second reason, it is that the pressures citizens have been subjected to in recent years have reached boiling point, and they are on the verge of exploding. “Either venting happens by lifting the lid of the pressure cooker, or the whole situation explodes, and this is what some wings within the authorities may realise,” according to the former secretary-general.
The professor at the Faculty of Mass Communication expressed the hope that the talk about developing the media would not be mere repetition or a manoeuvre to buy time, as happened with the National Dialogue, taking the same path and entering the same tunnel, but rather a serious path towards real change.
An Urgent Prescription for Development
We contacted a number of press leaders and also monitored some of the demands and proposed measures, all of which flow in a single direction, namely preparing an integrated prescription for developing the press and media in Egypt. This vision includes several aspects, among them strengthening press freedom, improving the economic and social conditions of journalists, developing media content, supporting national and private institutions, and keeping pace with modern digital and technological transformations, in a way that guarantees a professional, influential and sustainable media.
While preparing this prescription, we contacted Engineer Abdel Sadek El-Shorbagy, head of the National Press Authority, and Dr Ahmed El-Moslemany, head of the National Media Authority, to discuss with them the reality of the development plan the Egyptian authorities are seeking to implement, and to ask whether there is a budget allocated for this plan and what practical measures are expected for implementing it, but we had received no response by the time this report was written and published.
Karem Mahmoud, professor at the Faculty of Mass Communication, believes that the media cannot develop or flourish in a closed environment without freedom of opinion, without an open public sphere and without a law guaranteeing the right to access information. Mahmoud adds that the media “breathes freedom, and any attempt to develop media content will be of no use in the absence of legislative guarantees and a political environment supportive of freedom of opinion and expression and a plurality of voices.”
Speaking to “Zawia3”, he points out that the absence of this freedom pushes national and opposition voices to resort to social media, instead of finding their natural platform in the public media, which is supposed to express society and influence it.
The media professor criticises the reality of the current scene, saying that “the press and media in Egypt, whether official, private or party-affiliated, move along predetermined paths and under constant surveillance, to the point that headlines have become similar in newspapers and television programmes, while the citizen is looking for diversity and different points of view.” He adds: “The Egyptian media talks about everything except the real issues that affect the citizen’s life, and it avoids engaging with impactful issues.”
Mahmoud insists that “the prescription is as clear as the sun”, and it includes three basic steps: opening up the public sphere, unleashing freedom of opinion and expression, and passing a freedom of information law. He points out: “If this is achieved, the media is capable of developing itself by itself, because by its nature it is alive and self-renewing, and it will not need interventions from above.”
For his part, Yehia Qallash, former head of the Journalists Syndicate, stresses that the steps towards development begin with recognising that the press and media cannot perform their role without real freedom, pointing out that the absence of this freedom threatens the industry itself: “When the media turned into official bulletins, the public turned away from it and credibility declined, and with it the advertising and distribution industry declined sharply, which reflected negatively on the future of media institutions.”
He also explains that informal censorship has today become the most dangerous challenge facing the Egyptian press, adding: “There is no longer clear censorship with an official censor you can talk to; rather there has come to be a multiplicity of red lines, from the minister to the businessman, which creates a state of confusion that prevents the journalist from knowing the limits of what is allowed and what is forbidden.”
Qallash paused at the deteriorating economic conditions of journalists, considering them “a ticking time bomb” in the face of any reform attempt. He explained that the “technology allowance”, which was supposed to be an addition, has turned into a substitute for salaries, noting that journalists’ incomes have declined from being distinguished decades ago to becoming “completely off the scale”.
The former head of the Journalists Syndicate adds: “We cannot talk about developing the press industry while journalists’ living conditions are so poor; many of them are unable to go to their institution because they do not have the transport fare. How can this journalist lead a development process when he is unable to meet his most basic needs?”
Qallash concluded his statements by stressing that developing the media cannot be separated from reforming the legislation regulating the profession, pointing out that the Egyptian Constitution included many principles supporting press freedom, such as abolishing imprisonment in publishing cases and freedom of information, but most of these principles have not been turned into effective laws.
Reshaping the Relationship Between the State and the Media
The same demands were stressed by journalist and writer Eman Ouf, a member of the Journalists Syndicate’s board, who, speaking to “Zawia3”, believes that developing the media also requires reshaping the relationship between the state on the one hand and the press and media on the other, by improving the economic and social conditions of those working in the profession. She points to the need to set a clear timetable for applying the minimum wage within press institutions, and to increase the technology allowance in line with economic conditions.
Regarding press freedom, Ouf insists that official statements about “accepting diversity” and “allowing different voices” are not reflected on the ground, as there are still 23 journalists in detention, 16 of them in pretrial detention. She said: “Proving good intentions begins with releasing our detained colleagues, and this must be done in coordination with the Journalists Syndicate.”
The syndicate board member also calls for reviewing the legislation restricting journalistic work, foremost among it Law No. 180 of 2018 and Article 12 on photography, which she described as prohibitive, as well as speeding up the issuance of the freedom of information law and activating legal protection for journalistic sources. She added: “We have good laws on paper, but implementation suffers from a major defect, and there are clear violations, such as the continued imprisonment in publishing cases, despite the constitutional text that prohibits this.”
In this context, Hussein El-Zanaty, first deputy head of the Journalists Syndicate, editor-in-chief of “Alaa El-Din” magazine and one of those who took part in the content development discussions with the National Press Authority, points to the need to reshape the relationship between the state and the media, and to move the press from the stage of “relaying statements” to practising its basic role of investigation, inquiry and expressing opinion and counter-opinion. He stresses the need for regular coordination among the Journalists Syndicate, the National Press Authority and the Supreme Council for Media Regulation to confront the profession’s problems, while strengthening the Council’s role in supporting private and party newspapers, rather than merely granting licences and reviewing their regularity.
El-Zanaty also believes that there is a need for a legislative amendment that allows the syndicate to bring in new and independent resources, to strengthen its financial independence, in addition to entering into a real dialogue between the syndicate and the state to provide reassurances in the event the syndicate’s law is amended, in a way that preserves current gains and keeps pace with changes in the profession.
Involving the Syndicate and Young People and Developing Digital Content
Journalist and writer Eman Ouf, a member of the Journalists Syndicate’s board, believes that talk of developing the Egyptian media and press remains incomplete unless two basic conditions are met.
The first of these conditions, according to Ouf, is that the Journalists Syndicate be an integral part of the ongoing dialogue on developing the press and media, as the legitimate representative of the journalists who produce journalistic content. She stressed that the syndicate’s role must be active in organising the dialogue sessions and choosing who speaks in the name of the profession, because it is the best able to express the pains of journalists and the crises of the media.
The second condition consists of involving all generations in this dialogue, and not being content with people of experience alone, stressing that the young people practising journalistic and media work are the actual producers of daily content, and therefore they cannot be excluded from any vision for development.
In this context, journalist and writer Hussein El-Zanaty, first deputy head of the Journalists Syndicate and editor-in-chief of “Alaa El-Din” magazine, submitted a working paper to the National Press Authority entitled: “A Vision for Developing Media and Press Content in Egypt: Towards an Influential and Sustainable Media”.
Speaking to “Zawia3”, El-Zanaty believes that developing media content begins with developing the content maker himself, through continuous training for all generations, not only for beginners, along with providing a free and professional working environment, stressing that the media message is only achieved if it actually influences the recipient.
He also spoke about the importance of separating editorial work from the commercial departments, developing mechanisms for marketing digital content, as well as restoring the standing of specialised journalism as an important tributary for regaining the public and achieving impact.
El-Zanaty stresses that content development is not limited to the content itself, but also includes strengthening the performance of the departments that support journalistic work, such as the advertising, distribution, exhibitions and conferences departments, to guarantee the financial sustainability of media institutions.
Continuing the Dialogue and Protecting Journalistic Content
In response to the Egyptian president’s call, the head of the Journalists Syndicate, Khaled El-Balshy, called for discussing the drawing up of a roadmap for developing the press and media and ways to improve journalists’ conditions, at a meeting held inside the Journalists Syndicate on Monday 8 September, with the heads of the media and press bodies and a number of male and female journalists.
During the meeting, Dr Tarek Saada, head of the Media Professionals Syndicate, affirmed that the Egyptian media is witnessing major modern and digital overlaps that pose real challenges to the profession, pointing out that the state of the media has become difficult at a time when it must catch up with digital development.
Saada praised the presidential directives on drawing up a roadmap for developing the Egyptian media and restoring it to its deserved standing, considering that this step represents direct support for the sector in confronting its crises. He stressed that holding meetings and dialogues in which the concerned bodies and institutions take part, along with experts and academics, is the real guarantee for formulating a strategic vision capable of bringing about a positive leap in the media system. He pointed to the need for the development plan to take into account the inclusion of the authentic religious, educational and social values that form part of the innate nature of Egyptian society, as he put it.
For his part, journalist and writer Alaa El-Ghatrifi, editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Al-Masry Al-Youm”, affirmed the importance of forming a joint working group between the Journalists Syndicate and the Supreme Council for Media Regulation, to become a unified voice in negotiations with internet giants such as “Google”, to guarantee that newspapers receive financial compensation in return for making journalistic content available on those platforms.
During his speech at the conference on drawing up a roadmap for developing the profession at the Journalists Syndicate, El-Ghatrifi pointed to three main challenges facing the Egyptian and global press, namely: content development and competition; keeping pace with rapid technological changes; and the collapse of traditional business models and the monopolisation of technology and the advertising market.
El-Ghatrifi proposed establishing a joint umbrella between the syndicate and the Supreme Council for Media Regulation to address the issue of licensing journalistic content used by the giant internet companies worldwide.
He also stressed that President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s call to develop the media represents a positive opportunity that must be built upon, explaining the importance of finding a sustainable business model that relies on diverse sources of revenue, while leading the digital version of content media, and preserving public service institutions such as the national newspapers and Maspero, since they are the property of the people, with a commitment to development and keeping pace.
The train of media and press development sessions in Egypt has set off carrying with it pivotal demands and recommendations, topped by the files of freedoms and journalists’ rights, along with improving the economic and social conditions of those working in the profession. Nevertheless, there remains a fear that this train will head towards the same station at which the National Dialogue ended, amid a heavy legacy of restrictive legislation and the deteriorating reality of media institutions. In light of these challenges, the most prominent question remains: will the Egyptian press and media be able to regain their splendour and their effective role as an influential national force, capable of offering free and influential professional content that keeps pace with the times and addresses the concerns of society and the citizen?
Editorial correction: The first version of the report gave the name “National Authority for the Press and Media”; the correct name is the “National Press Authority”, which is the body responsible for managing state-owned press institutions and is separate from the National Media Authority.
