Independent and State Media in Post-Revolutionary Egypt

CNN’s Rima Maktabi and Neil Curry report that Egyptian television channels and radio stations are enjoying a new-found sense of freedom in regards to programming capabilities. During the protests at Tahrir Square, the head of Egypt State TV Nihal Kamal says that the state-owned institution lost credibility for not focusing on the revolutionary events.

Independent and state-owned agencies alike are in the process of shifting their focus to political programming and debates, according to Maktabi and Curry’s report. Additionally, a number of small radio stations have also sprung up in response to the revolution, such as Radio Ta7rir, which utilizes volunteers and free studio time to deliver politically-inclined satire and “revolutionary music”.

Although many media sources are airing more politically-focused news and programming, these outlets still must answer to Egyptian military officials. Radio Ta7rir co-founder Wael Omar says, “We’ve been told time and again that the military is a red line, so it seems like they’re going back to the same psychology that was imposed on us before”, an issue that all media sources must face and accept for the time being.