US embassy cable - 05CAIRO4321

UNCLAS CAIRO 004321 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KPAO, EG, Media 
SUBJECT:  WELL-KNOWN JOURNALIST LAUNCHES NEW NEWSPAPER IN 
HOPES OF CASHING IN ON CANDOR 
 
 
Sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
1.  (SBU)  Summary:  Al Fagr ("The Dawn"), the latest 
weekly independent newspaper in Egypt, published its first 
edition on June 4.  The newspaper's founder and editor, 
Adel Hamouda, stated on Egyptian TV that Al Fagr "aims to 
improve the state of Egyptian journalism," while privately 
telling a PA FSN that he was taking advantage of the more 
permissive media environment in Egypt to address 
controversial issues.  Counting on his reputation and 
government connections, Hamouda hopes to duplicate the 
financial success he saw at independent weekly Sawt Al Umma 
("Voice of the Nation") while working as an editor there. 
The first edition of Al Fagr touched on several 
controversial issues, such as religion and corruption. 
However, to ensure success, Hamouda will likely avoid taboo 
topics, such as criticizing President Mubarak personally. 
End summary. 
 
2.  (SBU)  The first issue of Egyptian weekly Al Fagr ("The 
Dawn") hit newsstands on June 4.  Al Fagr's founder and 
Editor-in-chief, Adel Hamouda, appeared on Egyptian Channel 
2's popular program Al Bayt Al Baytak ("Make Yourself at 
Home") on June 4 to publicize Al Fagr.  "The newspaper aims 
to improve the state of Egyptian journalism" and "give 
voice to a new generation of reporters," Hamouda explained. 
Hamouda told a PA FSN on June 2 that he intends to take 
advantage of the current environment of increased openness 
and reform in Egypt to bring controversial subjects into 
the public debate.  He also stated that Al Fagr's "formula" 
for success would be based on three things:  "Sex, sports, 
and religion."  (Note:  Hamouda still writes a column for 
pro-government daily Al Ahram (circulation: 750,000), and 
established his reputation as an editor with liberal weekly 
Rose Al Youssef (circulation: 50,000).  End note.) 
 
3.  (SBU)  Hamouda told a PA FSN in May that he was leaving 
the popular independent weekly Sawt Al Umma (circulation: 
50,000) after a falling-out over money.  Hamouda reported 
that Sawt Al Umma's Editor-in-chief and owner, Essam Fahmy, 
earned eight million Egyptian pounds during the past year, 
yet did not give Hamouda or his staff a bonus for their 
work.  Hamouda, seeing the profit to be made from Sawt Al 
Umma's hard-hitting and controversy-courting coverage, 
decided to start his own newspaper.  He received permission 
from the government earlier this year to do so, noting that 
his biggest challenge was convincing the GOE that Al Fagr 
would not be "anti-Mubarak," but "a benign, liberal 
newspaper which would stand up against corruption and 
terrorism, and call for a sound, democratic system." 
 
4.  (U)  Heavy on editorials and commentaries, and light on 
news reporting, Al Fagr's first edition, at 28 pages, 
confronts several controversial issues, touching on 
government corruption and religious themes.  For example, a 
feature on page 4 profiled allegations that top Egyptian 
government officials are "monopolizing 500,000 jobs" to 
give to their favorites; while a full-page article on page 
8 profiled IMF allegations of financial corruption against 
the Egyptian government.  (Note:  Neither article named any 
names.  End note.)  A smaller article on page 9 reported on 
nine Coptic monks in Fayoum who lodged a complaint against 
Pope Shenouda for unfair treatment within their monastery. 
The newspaper's banner graphic is that of a young woman 
cheering in a crowd of people waving Egyptian flags, with 
the words above her head:  "Al Fagr:  The Voice of 
Freedom." 
 
5.  (SBU)  Comment:  Hamouda, having witnessed Sawt Al 
Umma's financial success, is counting on his reputation as 
a journalist and his relationship with the Egyptian 
Government to ensure success.  Hamouda will likely model 
his newspaper after Sawt Al Umma, not shying away from 
controversial topics and encouraging a lively writing style 
from his reporters.  But Al Fagr will also likely not cross 
government-established 'red lines' for the media - for 
example, naming names of corrupt government officials and 
attacking Mubarak personally.   End comment. 
 
GRAY 
 
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