Chairman of the National Press Authority (NPA) Abdel-Sadek El-Shorbagy said the national press institutions are one of the state pillars that cannot be given up. In an interview with Al-AKhbar newspaper published on Wednesday, he said reforming national press institutions became an exigency which requires rallying efforts to accomplish this mission as soon as possible. El-Shorbagy was appointed by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi as NPA's head in June replacing Karam Gabr in a decree reshuffling the members of a number of the country's media bodies, including the Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR). He voiced optimism about reform measures being implemented by NPA to swiftly upgrade these institutions to be able to carry out their pivotal media role in spreading awareness. As for merging institutions, El-Shorbagy said this is a second stage that has not been examined yet, noting that the law allows taking this measure. He voiced hope that the eight national press institutions would remain as they are, but this depends on the institution's employees and their keenness on promoting the position of their institution. Asked about the upcoming changes of chief editors and board chairpersons and if there would be dovetail inside one institutions, El-Shorbagy said there are 55 chief editors and eight board chairpersons, adding that the efficiency and experience would be the bases for change in the coming period in order to realize the aspired development. He noted that none of press publications will be suspended, but some can become digital, adding, however, that daily and weekly publications would remain as they are in the current stage. He added that the authority has a database about the sales of each institution, noting that the NPA cannot see an institution incurring loss and leave the official in charge in his post. As for the steps taken by the NPA to realize reform , he said the NPA started about two months ago to pinpoint the challenges besetting national press institutions, noting that efforts will be stepped up at all sectors of national press institutions. Board chairpersons and editors in chief should join forces to expedite the reform plan, stressing that the NPA would not allow disputes to hamper the course of action. There is no time to waste, El-Shorbagy underlined. The chairman of the NPA added that the board chairpersons and chief editors will be appointed, then the boards and general assemblies will be formed in line with the law. As for the criteria for selecting new board chairpersons, he said these criteria are included in the NPA law no 179 of 2018. El-Shorbagy noted that he has received current chairpersons and chief editors to stand on their standpoints and future plans for upgrading press institutions. He noted that there will be fruitful cooperation between the NPA and boards in the coming period, noting that the performance of press institutions' leaderships is assessed every three months in accordance with the law. Under the new NPA law, the NPA has for the first time been entitled to sack any board chairman, chief editor or appointed members if proved to have committed major dereliction of duty.
