Egyptian Conference Addresses Country's Lack of Local Media

Despite being Egypt’s second largest city, Alexandria has almost no local media. Only recently, the newspaper Akhbar Al Youm began publishing a permanent local supplement of its Al Akhbar daily in Alexandria and a local radio station is expected to be launched later in the year.

The Biblioteca Alexandrina in Alexandria served as the setting for the conference "Local Media—Online & Offline." Alexandria’s size and dearth of media made it an appropriate setting to discuss local journalism. More than 100 journalists from Cairo, Qena, and Beni Suef gathered to discuss trends, as well as how local media can be more profitable and successful.

Presenters analyzed different mediums for local reporting, including print, webcasting and podcasting, blogging, and local radio. Two content studies formed the core of discussion at the conference. A local content study analyzed local newspaper content from five governorates that received training through a CARE/IREX program. The results indicated that advertising, layout, writing styles, headlines, and local content improved but that youth and women’s issues remained sparsely covered. Recommendations included continued training and increasing the connection between the media and local readers.

The Qena blogging case study was presented by a former participant of a CARE/IREX blogging course held in the summer 2008. The participants led a lively discussion ranging from the most basic topics--such as what a blog is and types of blogs--to blogging’s important role in covering local issues, particularly good governance. Participants stood and cheered as the presenter closed with a statement reaffirming her right to be heard and demand positive change in her community.

The conference ended with a panel discussion led by representatives from the Egyptian Press Syndicate, Cairo University, and prominent television and radio professionals. Participants delved beyond the basic concepts of local media to engage in heated debates about local media’s goals and the steps needed to increase and improve coverage of local issues. While it was agreed that local media lack the necessary equipment and facilities to reach a larger audience, journalists questioned why local media are not afforded the same rights as national media. For example, local journalists are not allowed access to the press syndicate. Despite these obstacles, journalists left the conference with a renewed sense of optimism concerning their roles and responsibilities in serving local community interests.

The conference was organized by IREX with support from two programs on which it is an implementing partner: the USAID-funded Partnership Program for Democracy and Governance program (managed by CARE) and the Egypt Media Development Program (managed by MSI, Inc.).

IREX delivers the media components of the USAID-funded Partnership Program for Democracy and Governance Program (PPDG), a consortium forged between CARE Egypt and Partners in Development for Research, Consulting, and Training (PID). The primary objectives of PPDG include capacity building for media professionals,  institutional capacity building for selected journals, and communication linkage between media professionals and stakeholders.