The June 30 revolution revealed the major role played by the Egyptian private media in exposing the mistakes of the former regime, mobilizing the masses where millions took to streets, and eventually ousting President Mohamed Morsi. Since the formation of a new government, however, media – especially private media – have been accused of being more like the public media.

The June 30 revolution revealed the major role played by the Egyptian private media in exposing the mistakes of the former regime, mobilizing the masses where millions took to streets, and eventually ousting President Mohamed Morsi. Since the formation of a new government, however, media – especially private media – have been accused of being more like the public media.

In other words, the private media has become controlled by the state – something former regimes failed to achieve dramatically. The current situation poses many questions: have private media become the mouthpiece of the new regime? How independent are the existing media? Have media outlets become biased or come to only express one view?

Biased media

“We have to admit that satellite channels are committing crimes against their viewers by refraining from conveying the whole truth,” says critic Tareq Shennawi. “Numerous media professionals have abandoned the most basic principles of media freedom, including objectivity, transparency and impartiality. I believe such issues have implicated the media into losing credibility.”

Shennawi says the major disaster widely noticed recently is hosting a specific group of guests by all channels—sometimes one guest is hosted on several channels in one day, with the same speech repeated in front of the audience.

No pressure

Media advisor of private MBC channels Medhat Hassan says he is not surprised by the recent criticism and accusations leveled against the media, stressing that there is indeed a state of confusion among the public as well as media professionals. Hassan defends the performance of his channels, especially MBC Misr Channel, refusing to evaluate the other channels and saying: “We have been under no pressure and have received no orders from any political party as some claim. Objectivity, transparency and presenting all views are major principles of MBC Misr. I am confident that those who have been watching it for some time now know this well. MBC Misr targets all Egyptians and serves no political party.”

Nothing wrong in supporting a certain political party

Chairman of the public Egyptian Media Production City Hassan Hamed concurs with Hassan’s views, underlining that all satellite channels are fully independent. He however says: “Although private and party channels are fully independent and free to broadcast all types of news and information, some of them are committing serious crimes against the media and the Egyptians by only presenting one view while convincing the public that they are transparent, objective and telling the whole truth. There is nothing wrong in adopting one view only or advocating a particular political party, but it is a real drawback and a grave mistake to deceive the public and underscore that these channels present all views and respect all opinions.”

Media against “terrorism”

Head of the Journalism Department in the Faculty of Mass Communication in Cairo University Mahmud Alameddine defends the media bias against Morsi’s regime and says he rejects the criticisms leveled against satellite channels and the fact that some cast doubt on their independency.  He believes that Egypt is subjected to the most dangerous forms of terrorism. “There is no shame in party and private channels choosing a specific ideology and supporting a certain political party because they are totally entitled to do so and no one has the right to criticize them, especially since their position is in line with that of the majority of Egyptians who advocate the June 30 Revolution and support the army and police in re-building the state and fighting terrorism,” he adds.

YouTube is the solution

The accusations leveled against the media have taken a new dimension since the third episode of the second season of the ‘El Bernameg’ show hosted by satirical comedian Bassem Youssef on the satellite channel CBC was banned. This has prompted some to call for resorting to the alternative media of the Internet, such as YouTube and other social networking websites, which have more freedom than constrained public and private media.

Bassem Youssef’s show became popular through YouTube when he used it to express his views during the January 2011 Revolution.  His spectators demand the airing of this banned episode and the following ones on YouTube as the alternative and only media outlet that will grant him unconditional freedom, especially since the production company of his show terminated its contract with CBC. Will YouTube replace satellite channels and become a platform resorted to by media professionals, politicians and other public figures to express their views more freely?

“YouTube has replaced not only satellite channels but also all media outlets,” says former Dean of the Faculty of Mass Communication Sami Abdulaziz. “It has outperformed TV and radio stations as well as journals and newspapers because information and news reach the public fully and quickly.”

Abdulaziz believes that although not all society groups use YouTube and other social networking websites, these tools brought about by new technology have had a powerful impact occurring in two phases for a daughter who watched the 2011 show of Bassem Youssef conveyed its content to her parents who probably knew nothing about new technology.

“Despite the huge success of Youssef’s show which has been broadcast on several satellite channels, I believe that it is better to broadcast it through YouTube because the latter will give the former unconditional freedom and without any pressures,” he adds.

Head of Radio and TV Department in the Faculty of Mass Communication Muna Hadidi disagrees with Abdulaziz, stressing that YouTube is no replacement for all media outlets. She however concurs with his views in that YouTube is the best means to show sarcastic programs of bold content.

“Youssef’s show and other programs of bold content and thorny and sensitive issues have more chances to be displayed on YouTube. Public, opponent and private satellite channels are controlled by a raft of laws and standards that restrain the freedom of such programs.”