President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met last weekend with senior officials from Egypt’s state-run media to set new strategic directions: enhancing editorial content, modernising formats, and launching an ambitious training program for industry professionals.
The meeting, attended by Abdel Sadeq Al-Shorbagi, head of the National Press Authority, marks a significant step in the president’s drive to strengthen the role of the public media in “preserving national character” and “shaping collective awareness.”
The announced plan is built on several pillars. Editorially, it calls for a focus on content deemed to be of “national interest,” alongside an expansion of cultural, educational, and economic programming. On the technical front, it aims to improve production quality and embrace more digital technologies to compete with private outlets and online platforms.
Training is a central component: more than 250 specialised courses will be offered to journalists, producers, technicians, and administrative staff, covering fields from audiovisual production to digital content management. The goal is to “nurture young talent” and update skills in a fast-evolving media landscape.
Critics, particularly in the independent press, warn that modernisation could remain purely technical if editorial freedom is not addressed. They point out that the concentration of media control in state hands limits diversity of viewpoints and undermines international credibility.
The government, however, frames the move as a bid to consolidate a strategic tool in service of stability and the country’s image, at a time when Egypt is seeking to bolster its economic and diplomatic appeal.
MK/sf/ac/lb/as/APA