Egyptian television
Encyclopedia
The Egyptian Television Network is a television service run by the Egyptian Radio and Television Union. It commenced programming in 1960. Today it has more than three national channels, and several broadcast channels on satellite.
delayed work until late 1959. Egypt then signed a contract with Radio Corporation of America to provide the country with a television network and the capacity to manufacture sets. Construction of the radio and television center was completed in 1960, and the first Egyptian television broadcast started on July 21, 1960.
Broadcast transmission began on July 21, 1960, at 07:00, the Egyptian TV was started with a five-hour-transmission. The transmission began with Qur'anic recitation followed by the opening of the parliament and a speech by President Gamal Abdel Nasser. This was followed by the national anthem, then the news bulletin and finally ended with Qur'anic recitation.
Broadcast began from Maspero television building whose transmission began in 1960. Ever since, the Egyptian television maintained its service of broadcasting through the different channels which serve different classes of the Egyptian society.
The big building that takes its name after the French Egyptologist, Gaston Maspero
, is deemed a distinguished site with its circular shape that receives over 30 thousand individuals daily. Egypt is the first country in the Middle East and Africa to provide TV broadcasting.
On August 13, 1970 a new decree established the Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU
) and created four distinct sectors: Radio, Television, Engineering and Finance, each of which had a chairman who reported directly to the Minister of Information
.
After the 1973 war
, both television production and transmission facilities were upgraded to color transmission under the SECAM
system. The Egyptian broadcasting changed from SECAM
to PAL
in 1992.
In the early 1980s, the Egyptian TV witnessed development in all domains and the orientation was to activate the media sovereignty principle through engineering and geographic expansion for a state-wide-coverage.
" http://www.dreams.tv/english/ was established on November 2, 2001. The channel is owned by the Egyptian businessman Ahmed Bahgat. In 2002, another channel "el-Mehwer TV" was established which is now owned by Dr. Hassan Rateb and the Egyptian radio and television union.
A complete list of television channels is available here: List of television networks by country#Egypt
. Terrestrial channels, Egyptian satellite channel and specialized Nile channels are under direct government supervision, operation and ownership.
Private channels have a considerable freedom but with some limits. According to a study by the Cairo Institute for Human Rights (CIRS), during presidential elections
both state-owned television channels and independent channels devoted more time to cover Mubarak's campaign than for the other nine candidates http://www.ifex.org/fr/content/view/full/69029/.
Another example for government intervention in private channels was banning the Egyptian famous journalist Mohamed Hassanein Heikal
from appearing in Dream TV. Dream aired a lecture Heikal gave at the American University in Cairo
in which he commented on speculation surrounding the bequeathing of the presidency in Egypt. This was the last time he appeared on Egyptian TV. http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2004/698/fr3.htm
According to Reporters without borders
2005 report ; Egyptian media ranks 143rd out of 167 countries in freedom of the press http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=15331.
History
Though the decision to start television service was taken earlier by the late King Farouk, the British-French-Israeli Suez invasionSuez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
delayed work until late 1959. Egypt then signed a contract with Radio Corporation of America to provide the country with a television network and the capacity to manufacture sets. Construction of the radio and television center was completed in 1960, and the first Egyptian television broadcast started on July 21, 1960.
Broadcast transmission began on July 21, 1960, at 07:00, the Egyptian TV was started with a five-hour-transmission. The transmission began with Qur'anic recitation followed by the opening of the parliament and a speech by President Gamal Abdel Nasser. This was followed by the national anthem, then the news bulletin and finally ended with Qur'anic recitation.
Broadcast began from Maspero television building whose transmission began in 1960. Ever since, the Egyptian television maintained its service of broadcasting through the different channels which serve different classes of the Egyptian society.
The big building that takes its name after the French Egyptologist, Gaston Maspero
Gaston Maspero
Gaston Camille Charles Maspero was a French Egyptologist.-Life:Gaston Maspero was born in Paris to parents of Lombard origin. While at school he showed a special taste for history, and by the age of fourteen he was already interested in hieroglyphic writing...
, is deemed a distinguished site with its circular shape that receives over 30 thousand individuals daily. Egypt is the first country in the Middle East and Africa to provide TV broadcasting.
On August 13, 1970 a new decree established the Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU
ERTU
The Egyptian Radio and Television Union , Ittihād al-Idhā‘ah wal-Tilīfizyūn al-Miṣrī), is the public broadcaster of Egypt, operated by the Egyptian government...
) and created four distinct sectors: Radio, Television, Engineering and Finance, each of which had a chairman who reported directly to the Minister of Information
Cabinet of Egypt
The Cabinet of Egypt is the chief executive body of the Arabic Republic of Egypt. It consists of the Prime Minister and the cabinet ministers....
.
After the 1973 war
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
, both television production and transmission facilities were upgraded to color transmission under the SECAM
SECAM
SECAM, also written SÉCAM , is an analog color television system first used in France....
system. The Egyptian broadcasting changed from SECAM
SECAM
SECAM, also written SÉCAM , is an analog color television system first used in France....
to PAL
PAL
PAL, short for Phase Alternating Line, is an analogue television colour encoding system used in broadcast television systems in many countries. Other common analogue television systems are NTSC and SECAM. This page primarily discusses the PAL colour encoding system...
in 1992.
Transmission Hours
The Egyptian television began with a six-hour-broadcasting channel; however the broadcasting hours changed to 13 hours/day. Later, in 1961, a second channel was launched, and a third channel was launched in 1962. Thus, the total broadcasting hours of the three channels was 25–30 hours/day. The contents of the shows reflected people's interests at the time.In the early 1980s, the Egyptian TV witnessed development in all domains and the orientation was to activate the media sovereignty principle through engineering and geographic expansion for a state-wide-coverage.
Private channels
The first private Egyptian channel "Dream TVDream TV (Egypt)
Dream TV is an Arabic satellite television channel headquartered out of Media Production City, Egypt. Dream TV was the first Egyptian private television channel, and now offers two channels on Nilesat: Dream TV 1 and Dream TV 2...
" http://www.dreams.tv/english/ was established on November 2, 2001. The channel is owned by the Egyptian businessman Ahmed Bahgat. In 2002, another channel "el-Mehwer TV" was established which is now owned by Dr. Hassan Rateb and the Egyptian radio and television union.
A complete list of television channels is available here: List of television networks by country#Egypt
Criticism
Since its establishment, Egyptian television has always been regarded as the voice of Egyptian government and the ruling political party. Both the ERTU and the Television sector chairmen are appointed by the Minister of InformationCabinet of Egypt
The Cabinet of Egypt is the chief executive body of the Arabic Republic of Egypt. It consists of the Prime Minister and the cabinet ministers....
. Terrestrial channels, Egyptian satellite channel and specialized Nile channels are under direct government supervision, operation and ownership.
Private channels have a considerable freedom but with some limits. According to a study by the Cairo Institute for Human Rights (CIRS), during presidential elections
Egyptian presidential election, 2005
The Egyptian presidential election of 2005, held on September 7, 2005, was the first allegedly contested presidential election in Egypt's history. Hosni Mubarak, the former President of Egypt, won a fifth consecutive six-year term in office, with official results showing he won 88.6% of the vote...
both state-owned television channels and independent channels devoted more time to cover Mubarak's campaign than for the other nine candidates http://www.ifex.org/fr/content/view/full/69029/.
Another example for government intervention in private channels was banning the Egyptian famous journalist Mohamed Hassanein Heikal
Mohamed Hassanein Heikal
Mohamed Hassanein Heikal is a leading Egyptian journalist. For 17 years he was editor-in-chief of the Cairo newspaper Al-Ahram and has been a respected commentator on Arab affairs for more than 50 years.-Background and Books:...
from appearing in Dream TV. Dream aired a lecture Heikal gave at the American University in Cairo
American University in Cairo
The American University in Cairo is an independent, non-profit, apolitical, secular institution of higher learning located in Cairo, Egypt...
in which he commented on speculation surrounding the bequeathing of the presidency in Egypt. This was the last time he appeared on Egyptian TV. http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2004/698/fr3.htm
According to Reporters without borders
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...
2005 report ; Egyptian media ranks 143rd out of 167 countries in freedom of the press http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=15331.