US embassy cable - 05CAIRO5057

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 005057 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KPAO, EG, Media 
SUBJECT:  EGYPTIAN PRESS SHAKE-UP: MUSICAL CHAIRS OR 
MEANINGFUL CHANGE? 
 
REF:  CAIRO 4127 
 
1.  Summary:  Egypt's Shura Council confirmed long-rumored 
changes to the pro-government press by appointing new 
editors and board chairmen on July 4.  The changes see 
younger faces rising from the ranks to replace an old guard 
of editors - some appointed by Anwar Sadat himself - who 
doubled as board chairmen.  While the timing of the 
appointments surprised PA contacts who expected changes 
after presidential elections this fall, all believed the 
changes were necessary to help increase falling circulation 
rates and stem widely rumored corruption.  End summary. 
 
2.  Egypt's Shura Council, during its final meeting before 
summer recess, appointed new leadership for much of the 
pro-government press on July 4.  These changes -- long- 
rumored in media circles since a controversy over a 
reprinted May 15 interview that President Mubarak gave to 
the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Siyassa (reftel) -- see the exit 
of the old guard and the entrance of younger faces.  The 
new editors and board chairmen have risen through the ranks 
of the pro-government press as correspondents and editors, 
and, therefore, are known-quantities to the Mubarak 
government.  Several appear regularly on Egyptian TV and 
even pan-Arab satellite channels. 
 
3.  Notable changes include: 
 
-- Osama Saraya, a liberal reformer and former Editor of 
weekly magazine Al Ahram Al Arabi, becomes Editor-in-chief 
of Al Ahram daily, replacing Ibrahim Nafei.  Saraya 
frequently travels through the region and appears on Al- 
Jazeera and Al-Arabiya TV promoting reform.  PA contacts 
reported on July 4 that Nafei selected Saraya as his 
successor in large part because of Saraya's loyalty, 
allegedly acting as Nafei's "vote collector" when Nafei 
became head of the Egyptian press syndicate.  Saraya is 
generally well respected among Embassy contacts and is seen 
as someone with a more modern appreciation of the nuances 
in international affairs. 
 
-- Mohamed Barakat, previously Editor of weekly magazine 
Akher Sa'a, becomes Editor-in-chief of daily Al Akhbar, 
replacing Galal Duweider.  Barakat previously worked as a 
correspondent at the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
and the presidency. 
 
-- Mohamed Ali Ibrahim, former Editor of English-language 
daily The Egyptian Gazette, becomes editor-in-chief of 
daily Al-Gomhouriya.  Mohammed Ali Ibrahim also served as 
an editor for Messa, the evening edition of Al-Gomhouriya. 
 
-- Momtaz Al-Qut, former Akhbar Al-Youm Presidential 
Affairs Editor, replaces Ibrahim Saeda as Editor-in-chief 
of weekly Akhbar Al-Youm.  Al-Qut has excellent relations 
with the Presidency and the head of the Shura Council, NDP 
General Secretary Safwat Al-Sharif. 
 
4.  In addition to new editors for the big three dailies 
(Al-Ahram, Al-Akhbar, and Al-Gomhouriya), new board 
chairmen were also selected.  They are: 
 
-- Salah Al-Ghamri, Al-Ahram, replaces Ibrahim Nafei.  Al- 
Ghamri previously worked as the head of distribution for 
Al-Ahram newspaper. 
 
-- Mohamed Ahdi Fadli, Al-Akhbar (comprising daily Al- 
Akhbar and weekly Akhbar Al-Youm), replaces Ibrahim Saeda. 
Fadli served previously as Akhbar Al-Youm's General 
Manager. 
 
-- Mohamed Abou Hadid, Dar Al-Tahrir, which publishes Al- 
Gomhouriya, replaces Samir Ragab.  Hadid was Managing 
Editor of Al-Gomhouriya's weekly edition. 
 
5.  Other appointments included: Mohamed Al-Qersh to 
English-language Al-Ahram Weekly; Abdallah Kamal to liberal 
magazine Rose Al-Youssef; and Abdallah Hassan as Editor-in- 
chief and Board Chairman for the Middle East News Agency 
(MENA), a government-owned wire service offering regular 
news reports to subscribers in Arabic, English, and French. 
 
6.  Many PA contacts were surprised by the timing of the 
Shura Council's announcement.  Most observers had 
anticipated changes would be made after presidential 
elections in September, allowing for stable and reliable 
media coverage during the campaign.  However, members of 
the Egyptian media are encouraged by changes they see as 
necessary to retain Egypt's position as one of the leaders 
of the Arab media.  All contacts agreed that the old 
guard's retirement was overdue, with Nafei, Saeda, and Al- 
Gomhouriya editor-in-chief Samir Ragab being especially 
singled out for criticism for having lowered their 
publication's standards and allegedly acquiring their 
wealth through corrupt use of their positions.  Ragab, in 
particular, was unpopular with Embassy contacts and is 
widely seen as someone who has based his career on a 
formula combining corruption and sycophantic praise of the 
ruling elite. 
 
7.  Comment:  The new generation of pro-government editors, 
while benefiting from their previous positions, have 
acknowledged to PA officers in past meetings the problems 
the pro-government press faces  namely, falling rates of 
circulation from not competing well with satellite TV and 
Egypt's independent press, and from the perception that the 
pro-government press is nothing more than a Mubarak 
'mouthpiece.'  By appointing younger editors and board 
chairmen before elections, the Mubarak government could be 
attempting to reassure the public that  as is the case now 
with many government ministries  experienced, younger 
faces are helping steer the country forward toward reform. 
At the same time, Mubarak and his government can be 
privately assured that the new editors are known quantities 
and 'know the score' of how things are supposed to work in 
the Egyptian press.  End comment. 
 
CORBIN 
IN