How Egypt’s Changing Media Landscape is Influencing Domestic Politics

Although Egypt’s media has been under tight government control since 1952, the technological and social changes of the past decade or so, in addition to a growing need for democratic reform in the country, have led the media to test the limits of state control. The results have been a newly revitalized and surprisingly liberal political dialogue. However, in spite of the excitement generated by this new media activism, its existence remains frail and tenuous and if it is to flourish, it will need careful nurturing.

The Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World was pleased to host Ford Foundation Visiting Fellow Mirette Mabrouk in a discussion about the changing landscape of Arab media and its effect on Egypt’s domestic politics. Mirette Mabrouk is editor-at-large with the American University in Cairo Press, founding publisher of The Daily News Egypt, and a frequent commentator in the Arab press.