May 30, 2016—Amnesty International called the recent arrest of Egyptian Press Syndicate members "an alarming setback for freedom of expression." The Syndicate leaders were questioned for nearly 12 hours apropos “sheltering” Badr and al-Saqqa at the Syndicate. The prosecution accused the men of harboring fugitives.
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Cabinet of Egypt Approves Bill Governing Media and Press
May 16, 2016—Egypt's Minister of Planning and head of the National Committee for Press and Media Legislation, Ashraf al-Araby, announced the Cabinet's approval of a new bill today. The proposed law includes 230 articles that promise to protect and regulate the work of the media.
Read More »Egyptian Media Company Buys ONTV from Tycoon Naguib Sawiris
CAIRO—Renowned tycoon Naguib Sawiris has sold the company that owns the television channel ONTV. According to a spokesperson today, Egyptian Media Company bought the company. Egyptian Media Company, owned by businessman Ahmed Abu Hashima, released a statement announcing the signed acquisition contract with Sawiris. The deal handed over complete ownership …
Read More »Social Media Users Protest Detention of Members of a Young Egyptian Satirical Group
May 12, 2016—A social media campaign of selfies went viral yesterday in response to the recent prosecutorial decision to detain members of the group Street Children for 15 days. These activists and social media users called for the Street Children’s freedom by posting personal selfies with the Arabic hashtag, “Does the phone camera shake/scare you?”
Read More »Front Row Seat to History: Mohamed Hassanein Heikal
A well-connected journalist, commentator, and master propagandist, Mohamed Hassanein Heikal crafted the message of former president and pan-Arab nationalist Gamal Abd al-Nasser and defended his legacy long after his death. Heikal’s books were consistent best sellers in the Arab world, and his political analysis was accorded respect. His opinion was sought in hour-long television interviews and behind closed doors in the corridors of power. His influence endured the epochs of long-reigning presidents, a revolution, and its political uncertainty. Senior Editor Abdalla Hassan examines his legacy.
Read More »PODCAST | We are all…NETWORKED.
Dr. Rasha Abdulla, associate professor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at the American University in Cairo speaks with us about her work on big data, social media and the Egyptian Revolution. Together with a group of scholars from the University of Amsterdam, Dr. Abdulla conducted big data research using the contents of the “We Are All Khaled Said” Facebook page. Dr. Abdulla was lead on an article investigating the role of the page as a venue for lessons in democratic participation.
Read More »Egyptian President al-Sisi Meets with Intellectuals Amid Rising Concerns over Media Freedom
March 22, 2016—Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi initiated an open dialogue today with prominent intellectual figures, according to a statement from the President’s Office. The meeting, which was attended by approximately twenty invitees, marked the inaugural installment of a series of planned national dialogues among politicians, intellectuals, and media workers.
Read More »Egyptian Writer and Journalist Sentenced to Two Years in Prison
February 20, 2016—Egyptian writer and novelist Ahmed Naji was sentenced to two years in prison on Saturday after publishing "obscene sexual content" from a chapter in his novel, The Guide for Using Life, in a state-owned literary magazine in August 2014.
Read More »Leading Egyptian Journalist Mohamed Hassanein Heikal Dies at 92
February 17, 2016—Prominent Egyptian writer Mohamed Hassanein Heikal passed away today at the age of 92, state television reported.
Read More »BOOK EXCERPT | Media, Revolution and Politics in Egypt
With the demise of the second Arab autocrat within a month, people power seemed on the verge of revolutionizing the Middle East, a region known for its monarchs and presidents for life. Abdalla Hassan's book unpacks Egypt’s media and political dynamics—tracing events leading up to the 2011 revolution, the 18 days of uprising, military rule, an Islamist president’s year in office, his ouster by the army, and the reestablishment of the military presidency. Expanded freedoms of expression, in the press and on the streets, have contracted with the skillful reinvention of repression. This is the story of an uprising.
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