Al Akhbar is one of the three main daily national newspapers in Egypt, alongside Al Ahram and Al Gomhuriya. These newspapers play a significant role in shaping public opinion and disseminating information within the country.
Location of Egypt.
Ownership and Control
The government owns controlling stocks in Al Akhbar, as well as Al Ahram and Al Gomhuriya. The editors of these dailies are appointed by the head of the National Council for Print Media (NCPM), the regulatory body for print media. Previously, this task was under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council of the Press.
Funding and Circulation
National newspapers like Al Akhbar depend on government subsidies and advertisements as funding mechanisms. However, both sources have decreased in recent years due to political and economic circumstances, as well as unsustainable business models. Al Ahram and Al Akhbar used to have the largest circulation figures. Yet private newspapers have become increasingly important since the 2011 revolution, both in terms of figures and circulation.
News media entities mainly rely on advertisements for revenue. National newspapers have additional sources, such as government subsidies and subscriptions from other newspapers (80 percent) for Al Ahram's print and distribution services.
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Competition and Information Sources
The main problem of the governmental papers is the lack of competition between newspaper organizations or reporters. Newspaper organizations often use the same, and sometimes only, source to gather information: the government.
Before the introduction of private newspapers, the only competitors to government-owned media were the party presses, which enjoyed limited censorship but were vulnerable to government pressure. According to law, all Egyptian opposition parties have the right to publish their own newspaper, but few are capable, and some are subsidized by the government to keep operating. The opposition press has restricted access to government information sources, which erodes their credibility among the public.
Many political parties were formed after the revolution in 2011, but their impact on the ground is currently weak, which is reflected in their publications. Most party newspapers are weeklies, although the main opposition parties, Al-Wafd and Al-Ahrar, maintain dailies.
Rise of Private Newspapers
Private newspapers were introduced into the market in 2004 with Al Masry Al Youm and Nahdet Masr newspapers. Al Masry Al Youm has been able to compete with Al Ahram newspaper and get almost similar circulation rates due to its news agenda that was different from the protocol news format of the national newspapers. Currently, the main three private newspapers in the market are Al Masry Al Youm (2004), Al Youm7 (2008), and Al Watan (2012).
Impact of Political and Economic Events
The political unrest in 2011, followed by the economic recession and the Central Bank's decision to float the Egyptian pound, dramatically affected the printing and circulation rates of both national and private newspapers. Circulation of the national newspapers went down by 60 percent since 2011.
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The opposition press used to have an impact in earlier times when it used to hammer at government corruption and against government officials.
Repression on Journalists on the rise- Egyptian Journalists
Akhbar el-Yom
Akhbar el-Yom was founded by the Amin brothers, Mustafa Amin and Ali Amin, on 6 November 1944. The paper is released weekly on Saturdays. The newspaper is owned by the Shura Council and considered a semi-official newspaper.
Key Players in Egyptian Media
Here is a table summarizing some key newspapers and their roles in the Egyptian media landscape:
| Newspaper | Type | Ownership/Affiliation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al Ahram | National Daily | Government-owned | One of the largest circulation figures |
| Al Akhbar | National Daily | Government-owned | Significant role in shaping public opinion |
| Al Gomhuriya | National Daily | Government-owned | Part of the main national newspapers |
| Al Masry Al Youm | Private Daily | Private | Competes with Al Ahram |
| Al Youm7 | Private Daily | Private | Important private newspaper |
| Al Watan | Private Daily | Private | Important private newspaper |
| Akhbar el-Yom | Weekly | Shura Council | Semi-official newspaper |
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