When he was a teenager A.R. always wrote poetry, but his poems lacked quality and professionalism, so he set his dreams toward journalism. Inspired by his uncle, a correspondent for a national newspaper, thought he might write in this field but he ended up in the Faculty of Law (FoL), following his parents’ wishes. In his first year (2002), he was nevertheless drawn to literature and poetry and other cultural activities there.

When he was a teenager A.R. always wrote poetry, but his poems lacked quality and professionalism, so he set his dreams toward journalism. Inspired by his uncle, a correspondent for a national newspaper, thought he might write in this field but he ended up in the Faculty of Law (FoL), following his parents’ wishes. In his first year (2002), he was nevertheless drawn to literature and poetry and other cultural activities there.

In his junior year he joined a local newspaper called Upper Egypt Youth and was mentored by a professor at the Department of Media, Faculty of Arts, to whom he is still grateful.

By his senior year in 2006, A.R. was working as a correspondent for national newspaper Rose al Yusuf for a month and then moved to Almassa’eyia newspaper – currently Alahkbar Almassa’i – where he worked for a year. At the time, he was the youngest reporter at a daily newspaper in Upper Egypt.

Mubarak’s regime

A.R. worked for over 15 newspapers, including El-Badil, which was shut down due to Mubarak regime’s pressure in 2009. A.R.’s dream to join the Syndicate of Journalists was suspended until 2010 when he managed to land a job at the most prestigious state-owned press foundation. Nonetheless, neither he nor any regional colleagues have been officially appointed, while dozens of Cairo-based reporters have been officially appointed in the foundation although they joined it at later times and are less productive.

Local press

A.R. continued working for Upper Egypt Youth, which taught him the fundamentals of journalism until he became its editor in 2008. However, a lack of funds hindered issuance to the syndicate. His team vainly sought a source of funding. Yet, he refused to give up his dream of founding a professional local newspaper, different from family newspapers or those simply trying to get ads. “I wanted real press and a genuine newspaper to become the voice of ordinary people,” remembers.

With help from his uncle and a friend working for a national newspaper, A.R. established a local monthly called Tama News in November 2010. He put all his effort in the newspaper until he formed a team that spread all around the city and the newspaper became popular because it monitored, checked and followed news from its sources; and also made local reports and dialogues which were absent from Cairo-based press. However, this situation did not last. Because of the local press challenges of poor management and planning and scarce resources, the newspaper, mainly dependent on local advertising, was shut down in late 2011 after 15 issues although it distributed more than 80 percent of the monthly 2000 issues. Only an archive remained, recalling the experiment that did not continue.

Nepotism and favoritism

“Out of sight, out of mind,” said A.R. explaining why he and his colleagues, though among the founders, were not officially appointed in the press foundation. Courtesy and favoritism played a role in appointments, whether by former editors in chief or chairmen of the board of directors (BoD).

When he and his colleagues insisted on their appointments, three editors submitted memorandums recommending their appointment to the BoD, but its chairmen ignored it, and went on to appoint their relatives and other colleagues.

January revolution

With the revolution in January 2011, a state of recession and poor finance overwhelmed local press because major advertisers who used to glorify the National Party leaders and the former regime through newspaper ads secretly withdrew for fear of the revolution supporters. In early 2012, Welad El Balad institution emerged, taking upon itself to issue local and regional newspapers. A.R. seized the opportunity to fulfill his dream but it was delayed until the revolution of June 30 because the institution initially only issued four newspapers in Mansoura, Dishna, Nag Hamadi in Qena, and Alexandria. In 2013, however, he presented a proposal to the institution to establish a local newspaper in Asyut Governorate.

Unfair treatment

Seeking career stability A.R. continued demanding his right to an appointment in the foundation. Although he was the most productive reporter, he feels that he has been discriminated against for having been born and raised in an Egyptian governorate far from the capital.