Ownership of new media outlets under the spotlight



A media boom after Egypt's revolution has pointed towards an era of liberal press and more objective editorial content. But calls for better press regulation and the lack of transparency over the ownership of some new media outlets has dampened their success.

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What are the main characteristics of Egyptian media?

Newspapers, television and radio channels fall under three main categories. They are either government-owned, including the Al Ahram newspaper, or they represent an opposition political party, which is considered to exercise less freedom of speech and a higher rate of censorship than its government-owned counterpart. Finally there are independent or privately owned newspapers and television channels, such as ONTV and Al Masry al Youm, which are usually owned by one or two major shareholders.

Has this structure changed much in the post-Mubarak period?

Not really. There are more private media companies that claim to have liberal views on politics and the economy, but the same government-owned companies still exist. The military council now has the upper hand in terms of content, replacing the stranglehold of the Mubarak government.

So exactly how many newspapers, TV channels and radio stations have been launched since the revolution?

That is difficult to answer because of the lack of regulators monitoring the industry. But it has been suggested that there are about 500 television channels, of which around 20 are new, and about 40 newspapers, with a handful launching since the revolution. Some weekly newspapers have also switched to daily publication since January 25.

What media regulation exists in Egypt?

The Egyptian constitution, which is up for debate until a new government is brought into power, currently guarantees freedom of expression. But the government can also legally interfere in the media by censorship, which ultimately includes suspension. There is no independent regulatory body to monitor, regulate and question any medium, with the government as the ultimate authority.

Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
How it works

A $10 hand-powered LED light and battery bank

Device is operated by hand cranking it at any time during the day or night 

The charge is stored inside a battery

The ratio is that for every minute you crank, it provides 10 minutes light on the brightest mode

A full hand wound charge is of 16.5minutes 

This gives 1.1 hours of light on high mode or 2.5 hours of light on low mode

When more light is needed, it can be recharged by winding again

The larger version costs between $18-20 and generates more than 15 hours of light with a 45-minute charge

No limit on how many times you can charge