Egypt

Vice PM: Changes inside national newspapers within days

Vice Prime Minister Yehia al-Gamal, who is in charge of the Supreme Council for Journalism, said new heads for national newspapers including Rose al-Youssef, Dar al-Hilal and Dar al-Tahrir have been chosen.

Al-Gamal told reporters on Sunday that the names will be announced during the next few days, and were chosen according to professional standards.

He also said that elections for chief editors and board chairpersons at other press institutions are being considered under supervision of the Supreme Council for Journalism. Elections will take place with the help of committees affiliated with each institution. 

Potential presidential candidate Mohamed ElBaradei called last week for the sacking all of chief editors and board chairpersons of all national newspapers, saying they do not reflect the people. ElBaradei said collective dismissals would open the door for impartial media in Egypt.

National newspapers have changed their discourse since the ouster of former President Mubarak on 11 February. They have intensified coverage of the revolution, despite having ignored it or reported it as rioting when it first began.

Al-Gamal met with the Press Syndicate council on Sunday to discuss the situation inside press institutions. The council highlighted the necessity of changing the law so that chief editors and board chairpersons can only stay in office for two terms of four years each.

The council also demanded that restrictions on freedom of press and the detention of reporters cease, and a law granting freedom of information be passed.

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