Al-Masry Al-Youm spoke to Sami Abdel Azis, dean of Cairo University's mass communication faculty and Shura Council member, about recent events concerning the media. Al-Masry Al-Youm: What do you think of the Al-Dostour crisis, and comments by some that Wafd Party leaders have done a favor to the regime by doing such damage to the paper? Sami Abdel Aziz: I think the crisis was caused by the entry of capitalists into the field of journalism. All the talk about the regime being involved in that standoff has no grounds in reality. This is struggle about capital, not politics. Al-Masry: But they say “there's no smoke without fire.” Who do you think started the dispute? Abdel Aziz: I believe that the deal to sell Al-Dostour was not given enough thought. The fact that the deal was not a well-defined one led to a vacuum, which in turn led to disputes. However I would like to applaud the position taken by the [Journalists] Syndicate and its eagerness to protect the rights of its members. Al-Masry: As an academic, how do you measure the success of any newspaper? Abdel Aziz: A paper's circulation is the main indicator, followed by the amount of advertising it has. A paper that has a small circulation is not successful, and so is the one which contains no advertising. Al-Masry: Does a media professional, journalist or chief editor have the right to belong to a party? Abdel Aziz:Yes, what's wrong with that? However, he/she should not impose his/her partisan affiliations on his media outlet. Every investor has his own agenda and the same goes for media professionals and chief editors. Neutral media do not exist, this is just impossible. Al-Masry: Why is it that no country in the world has an information ministry, except Egypt? Abdel Aziz: Time will lead to reviewing the need for several ministries, not only the Information Ministry. From my viewpoint, the Ministry of Economic Development should also be abolished, since Egypt supposedly has a free economy. Al-Masry: What do you think of the draft law on managing audio and visual broadcasting, given all the talk about how it is intended to suppress liberties? Abdel Aziz: It will see the light soon, and is being examined seriously. The Information Minister is giving it considerable attention. It will not suppress liberties. In fact, it will serve the freedom of expression, organize transmission, and force the Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU)--like all other broadcasting channels--to obtain a permit from a state authority made up of public figures, academics, media channel owners and members of NGOs. Al-Masry: Until that law is promulgated in the next parliamentary session, how will the media be managed? Abdel Aziz: We have to wait and see, and avoid passing judgement based on fears. Today, technology has enabled an easier flow of information. I believe that officials in Egypt are intelligent enough not to suppress liberties in the coming period. I don't think the clock will move back. Al-Masry: Why have we not seen such keen interest in the law on the freedom of information, even though it is much needed? Abdel Aziz: I believe it will be passed too, because it is demanded from all sides. It also serves the freedom of the media. Al-Masry: We say we live in a civil state, and then the ERTU announces its intention to launch a religious channel in cooperation with Al-Azhar, after having closed down religious channels supposedly in violation--isn't there a contradiction here? Abdel Aziz: The decision to close those channels came late, in fact. Perhaps the new channel is intended as a cultural, enlightening one that can reflect a moderate image about Islamic societies, but at the same time does not promote Islam at the expense of Christianity. Al-Masry: But this channel will open the door to calls for a Christian channel, again on the pretext of improving Muslim-Christian relations. Abdel Aziz: Egypt is not in need of improving Muslim-Christian relations. Al-Masry: As a media expert and member of the National Democratic Party (NDP), how do you view the advertisements placed by the Coalition for the Support of Gamal Mubarak? Abdel Aziz: I reject them, and they were also rejected by the NDP's secretary-general and media secretary. Besides, Gamal is smart enough not to encourage such practices. In all cases, the phenomenon is declining. Al-Masry: What do you think of the Supreme Administrative Court's decision banning the presence of security guards on campus? Abdel Aziz: As the Minister of Higher Education said, we respect judicial rulings and work is underway to find alternatives, for security must remain on campus for the purpose of protection. The idea of outsourcing it to a security company was brought up. A compromise has to be found between the need for security and respect for the judiciary. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
