Morsi ousting puts renewed pressure on Egypt’s media
The closure of three TV channels is cause for ‘grave concern’ when it comes to the media’s role in Egypt’s crucial process, says Michael Irving Jensen, Head of IMS’ work in the Middle East and North Africa
Egypt’s military-led authorities shut down three TV stations deemed sympathetic to the Muslim Brotherhood after President Mohammed Morsi was toppled by the army on Wednesday 3 July.
“The military’s intervention and the closure of media outlets is cause for grave concern when it comes to the role of Egypt’s media in the coming period. It is of crucial importance that the process initiated by the Egyptian army is inclusive of all groups in the country,” says Michael Irving Jensen, IMS’ Head of Middle East and North Africa. “Critically, this includes also the Muslim Brotherhood.”
Impartiality
The Muslim Brotherhood’s Masr25 channel was forced off air and its managers were arrested shortly after General Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, head of Egypt’s armed forces, announced a plan for a new political transition, the state news agency Mena reported.
The authorities also shut down two other stations affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, Al-Hafiz and Al-Nas, and raided the offices of Al Jazeera’s Egyptian news channel Al-Jazeera Mubashir, Reuters reported.
The journalists were released hours later following an intervention from Diaa Rashwan, the head of the Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate. The move by Rashwan, could be seen as an indication that civil society organisations understand the importance of impartiality, says Michael Irving Jensen:
“The Egyptian media, and the institutions that surround it like the Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate, are now faced with the challenge of maintaining impartiality in order to strengthen their legitimacy in the eyes of the public, and secure that polarisation in the media community is kept to a minimum.
“Journalists affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood should know that the Syndicate is working for the interest of all journalists. The latest move is clearly a step in that direction.”
New ‘code of ethics’
Without elaborating, Gen. Abdel Fattah el-Sissi said in his televised address to the nation that a new media “code of ethics” would be adopted as part of the nation’s path forward, establishing “values and ethics for the media to follow.”
Introducing a new ‘code of ethics’, signifies the military’s desire to influence the public sentiment in this crucial time in Egypt’s history, says Michael Irving Jensen:
“The military is keen to retain its influence over the media in order to safeguard its own interests. Professional standards and ethics in the Egyptian media is an issue that needs to be addressed, but a code of ethics should not be dictated by the military. Rather, it is a task for the journalists themselves.”
Improving journalistic standards is one of IMS’ core areas of work in Egypt says Jesper Højberg, IMS Executive Director:
”We’re working to strengthen the professional skills of Egyptian journalists in order for them to provide the population with a balanced, professional basis for taking part in the country’s future political process.”
