By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    blinx: New digital media hub for Middle East’s youth
    blinx: New digital media hub for Middle East’s youth
    September 24, 2023
    ADNOC Distribution launches first ADNOC service stations in Egypt
    ADNOC Distribution launches first ADNOC service stations in Egypt
    September 24, 2023
    Banks’ financial position grows to EGP 13.798trn in 1H 2023, CBE reports
    Banks’ financial position grows to EGP 13.798trn in 1H 2023, CBE reports
    September 24, 2023
    Shell, KUFPEC partner to explore Egypt's Mediterranean Block 3
    Shell, KUFPEC partner to explore Egypt’s Mediterranean Block 3
    September 24, 2023
    Food Export Council holds symposium on challenges of food exports to EU, US
    Food Export Council holds symposium on challenges of food exports to EU, US
    September 24, 2023
  • Politics
    PoliticsShow More
    Egypt, India affirm their strategic partnership, discuss regional issues
    Egypt, India affirm their strategic partnership, discuss regional issues
    September 24, 2023
    Pope Francis denounces ‘invasion’ rhetoric on migrants
    Pope Francis denounces ‘invasion’ rhetoric on migrants
    September 24, 2023
    Sudanese leader Al-Burhan denounces RSF commander’s letter to UN
    Sudanese leader Al-Burhan denounces RSF commander’s letter to UN
    September 24, 2023
    Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus stress coordination on gas, regional issues
    Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus stress coordination on gas, regional issues
    September 23, 2023
    CCCPA, African Union train officials on ‘Climate Responsive Programming for Sustaining Peace’
    CCCPA, African Union train officials on ‘Climate Responsive Programming for Sustaining Peace’
    September 22, 2023
  • Interviews
    InterviewsShow More
    Microsoft Egypt aims to provide advanced AI models, build solid AI ecosystem: Mirna Arif
    Microsoft Egypt aims to provide advanced AI models, build solid AI ecosystem: Mirna Arif
    September 18, 2023
    I love privacy, and I am not concerned about competition: Yasmine Sabry
    I love privacy, and I am not concerned about competition: Yasmine Sabry
    September 14, 2023
    Sustainability, digital transformation at the heart of our strategy: Heidelberg Materials Egypt
    Sustainability, digital transformation at the heart of our strategy: Heidelberg Materials Egypt
    September 12, 2023
    India welcomes Egypt's BRICS membership: Boosting trade, investment, and access to strategic commodities
    India welcomes Egypt’s BRICS membership: Boosting trade, investment, and access to strategic commodities
    September 11, 2023
    The box office is not a measure of success: Basma Hassan
    The box office is not a measure of success: Basma
    September 6, 2023
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Reading: The legality of closing down CBC
Share
Notification
Latest News
Egypt, India affirm their strategic partnership, discuss regional issues
Egypt, India affirm their strategic partnership, discuss regional issues
Politics Egypt
Pope Francis denounces ‘invasion’ rhetoric on migrants
Pope Francis denounces ‘invasion’ rhetoric on migrants
Politics World
blinx: New digital media hub for Middle East’s youth
blinx: New digital media hub for Middle East’s youth
Business
National Cancer Institute, Novartis Egypt host run to raise awareness on World Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Day
National Cancer Institute, Novartis Egypt host run to raise awareness on World Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Day
Culture
ADNOC Distribution launches first ADNOC service stations in Egypt
ADNOC Distribution launches first ADNOC service stations in Egypt
Business
Aa
Aa
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Advertise
© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.
Dailynewsegypt > Blog > Egypt > The legality of closing down CBC
EgyptPolitics

The legality of closing down CBC

Rana Muhammad Taha
Last updated: 2013/04/03 at 8:00 PM
By Rana Muhammad Taha 5 Min Read
Share
The Investment Authority's threat to revoke CBC’s licence if the satellite channel does not remove what it deems to be inappropriate content from the popular television programme Al-Bernameg has raised questions regarding the authority's jurisdiction. (AFP Photo)
SHARE
The Investment Authority's threat to revoke CBC’s licence if the satellite channel does not remove what it deems to be inappropriate content from the popular television programme Al-Bernameg has raised questions regarding the authority's jurisdiction. (AFP Photo)
The Investment Authority’s threat to revoke CBC’s licence if the satellite channel does not remove what it deems to be inappropriate content from the popular television programme Al-Bernameg has raised questions regarding the authority’s jurisdiction.
(AFP Photo)

The Investment Authority’s threat to revoke CBC’s licence if the satellite channel does not remove what it deems to be inappropriate content from the popular television programme Al-Bernameg has raised questions regarding the authority’s jurisdiction.

The incident provoked discussions regarding the process of licensing new satellite channels in the first place. Emad Mubarak, lawyer and director of the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE), stated that licensing channels is acquired through seeking the Investment Authority and the Egyptian Media Production City’s (EMPC) administration’s approval.

According to the Investment Law for Guarantees and Motivations, the Investment Authority is tasked with granting satellite stations licences alongside the EMPC. Satellite channels are considered a form of investment. The Investment Authority gives them bonuses to boost investment.

The Investment Authority gives channels a licence based on a contract, Mubarak said. Then, it has the right to monitor the channel’s commitment to the contract. If the channel breaches any of the points of agreement in the contract, the Investment Authority is entitled to issue the channel an ultimatum.

Upon its establishment, independent news channel ONTV licenced itself with the Investment Authority as a cultural channel. “Thus, when ONTV hosted a news-bar on its screen, the Investment Authority was entitled to issue a warning regarding the news-bar, which it did,” Mubarak said.

Mubarak stated that the Ministry of Information is not related whatsoever to the process of issuing licences to satellite channels. “It could however influence licencing decisions through indirect pressure,” Mubarak said.

In March, Minister of Information Salah Abdel Maqsoud cancelled the freeze on licencing new satellite channels. The freeze was issued in September 2011 by the former Prime Minister Essam Sharaf and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF).

In an earlier interview, Chairman of the Media Free Zone Abdel Moneim Al-Alfy stated that out of the 700 channels hosted on the Nilesat satellite, only 100 are properly licensed. He added that seven companies were granted a licence to launch channels after the 25 January Revolution, including the company which launched the CBC channel. Al-Alfy stated that five other companies were granted approval to broadcast on Nilesat without being given a licence.

“The problem with the CBC crisis is that the Investment Authority’s threat came out of its jurisdiction,” Mubarak said. He stated that while the Investment Authority is entitled to give channels ultimatums based on the nature of their content, it is not allowed to censure this content based on ethical or even legal matters. The latter is only within the judiciary authorities’ jurisdiction.

“The Investment Authority isn’t allowed to close down the CBC because it’s mocking the president,” Mubarak said. He said that this ultimatum opens the door for further acts of oppression. “The authorities have discovered that they can use the Investment Authority to crack down on media outlets instead of seeking court verdicts.”

Under the former regime, religious channels on Nilesat attracted criticism for broadcasting what some saw as hate speech. In October 2010 the broadcast licenses of 12 religious TV channels were suspended and 20 others were issued with warnings for “inciting religious hatred”. International satellite providers such as French Eutelsat reported the Al-Rahma channel for its anti-Semitic content.

This behaviour, Mubarak stated, reflects the state’s remaining control over independent media through abusing government bodies. He added that the solution lies in establishing an independent authority solely tasked with issuing licences.

“Yet, it is feared that the administration of such an independent authority would be appointed by the president,” Mubarak said. “If this is the case, then it will be even worse than the current situation.”

You Might Also Like

Egypt, India affirm their strategic partnership, discuss regional issues

Pope Francis denounces ‘invasion’ rhetoric on migrants

Sudanese leader Al-Burhan denounces RSF commander’s letter to UN

Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus stress coordination on gas, regional issues

CCCPA, African Union train officials on ‘Climate Responsive Programming for Sustaining Peace’

TAGGED: Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE), Emad Mubarak, licence
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
Previous Article US dollar soars to 8.25 Egyptian pounds on black market
Next Article Review: Columnists discuss Iranian tourists in Egypt, condemn Morsi’s big mistakes
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ad image
Ad image

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Instagram Follow
Youtube Subscribe

Latest News

Egypt, India affirm their strategic partnership, discuss regional issues
Egypt, India affirm their strategic partnership, discuss regional issues
Politics Egypt
Pope Francis denounces ‘invasion’ rhetoric on migrants
Pope Francis denounces ‘invasion’ rhetoric on migrants
Politics World
blinx: New digital media hub for Middle East’s youth
blinx: New digital media hub for Middle East’s youth
Business
National Cancer Institute, Novartis Egypt host run to raise awareness on World Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Day
National Cancer Institute, Novartis Egypt host run to raise awareness on World Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Day
Culture
//
Egypt’s only independent daily newspaper in English. Discuss the country’s latest with the paper’s reporters, editors, and other readers.

Quick Link

  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.

Join Us!

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news, podcasts etc..

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?