Neither waving nor drowning : limits of press freedom in Egypt

Abstract

The Egyptian press can be divided into four categories; a) state-owned; b) political party owned; c) independent, licensed in Egypt; d) independent, licensed abroad. The government is able to exercise considerable control over the first three but less over the fourth, even though it employs a variety of strategies in a bid to do so. The government has little faith in the idea of a free press, regarding the concept as an obstacle to its top-down rule. The standard of journalism is generally low, compared to international norms and this coupled with the eternally watchful eye of the censor, means that the Egyptian press is unable to play a constructive role in social, economic and· political development. However, the Egyptian press is more free than it was ten years ago and some journalists do play a positive civic role, in spite of the obstacles that are placed in their way.