EgyptianMedia&Journalismbetween

ChangeandContinuity 

Conference,Berlin,12.‐14.November2015

OrganizedbytheDivisionofInternationalCommunicationFreieUniversitätBerlin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source:NadiaLeihs

BookofAbstracts&Biographies|ConferenceProgram

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AimoftheconferenceandresearchprojectOver the past four years the Egyptian media landscape varied between change andcontinuity. The strife of the Egyptianmedia towards professional autonomy after theJanuaryRevolutionin2011waspronounced. ImmediatelyaftertheousterofMubarakin 2011 the people called for a radicalmedia reform. Its role inmisrepresenting theuprisingcostthemediavaluablecredibility.Yet,thereformprocesswasturbulent,oftenmirroringthepolitical,socialandprofessionalupheavalsinthetransformationphase.Theresearchproject“JournalisminTransformationinEgypt”examinespreciselythequestions related to the evolution of Egypt'smedia during the transformation phase,both on the structural and discursive levels. Egyptian and German media scholarsscrutinize the efforts ofEgypt’smedia and journalists towardsprofessional autonomyagainstconstraintsfromthepolitical,economicandlegalspheres.Distinguishedmediascholarsandexpertsareinvitedtotheproject’sfirstinternationalconferenceentitled“EgyptianMedia&JournalismbetweenChangeandContinuity”.In the two‐day conference an intensive exchange among scholars from Egypt andGermany as well as other Arab and Western countries shall help us to gain acomprehensivepictureofcurrentdevelopments inacomparativeperspective.Besidesacademics, experts from think tanks and NGOs, as well as journalists are among thepresenters.Theywill discuss issues like self‐regulationof journalists, professionalism,challengesoffreedomofspeechaswellastheevolutionofthemedialandscapeandthepoliticaleconomyofEgypt’smedia.The research project and the conference are funded by theDAAD (GermanAcademicExchange Service). Responsible for the project are Prof. Dr. Carola Richter (FreieUniversitätBerlin)undDr.des.HananBadr(CairoUniversity).

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ResearchTeam:CarolaRichter is Junior Professor for internationalcommunication at the Freie Universität Berlin. SheholdsaMaster’sdegree inArabicstudies, journalismand political sciences from the University of Leipzigand obtained her PhD from the University of Erfurtwitha thesison themediastrategiesof theEgyptianMuslimBrotherhood.Her research focusesonmediaandtransformation,protestmovements,foreignnewscoverage andpublic diplomacywith an emphasis onthe Arab World. She is founding member ofAREACORE (Arab‐European Association for Mediaand Communication Researchers) and head of theSection of International and InterculturalCommunication of the German Association forCommunicationStudies.Herrecentbookpublicationsinclude “Arabische Medien” (edited with Asiem El‐Difraoui, 2015) and “NewMedia Configurations andSocialDynamics inAsiaandtheArabWorld”(editedwithNadja‐ChristinaSchneider,2015).

Hanan Badr is the Egyptian project coordinator ofthe Egyptian‐German research group in the DAADproject “Journalism in Transformation in Egypt” incooperation between Freie Universität Berlin andCairoUniversity. She is a lecturerat theDepartmentof Journalism, Faculty ofMassCommunication, CairoUniversity. She obtained her PhD degree from theUniversityofErfurtonmediadiscoursesonTerrorisminEgyptandinGermany.BadrobtainedherM.A.andB.A. degrees at Cairo University. She was headresearcherintheOrientInstitutBeirutprojectfundedby the German Federal Ministry of Research andEducationonMedia,CultureandTransformation.TheprojectscrutinizedtheEgyptianpublicsphereandthepolitical communication of social movements after2011. Her research interests include media andtransformation, international communication,comparativemedia systemsandpublic sphere in theArab World. She published on contentious politics,regimedilemmaandsocialmedia.

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Eman Soliman graduated from Cairo University,Faculty ofMassCommunication in 2004with honor.Currently she is a teaching and research assistant inPublic Relations and Advertising Department at thesame Faculty. Hermasterwas on “GoodGovernanceand Media”. In 2013 she received the Best MasterThesisAwardfromCairoUniversity.Currently,sheisaPhDcandidatestudyingthemediareformprocessinEgypt during the transition period in relation to thepolitical system actions after the 25 January 2011Revolution.Sheparticipatedinmanyconferences,i.e.IAMCR2006withapaperthatfocusedontheimpactofnewscoverageof2005electiononEgyptianvotingbehavior.

Walid Osman studied Journalism and MassCommunication at the American University in Cairoand completed his Master’s Degree at the DeutscheWelle Akademie in Bonn. He began his career in aUNDPProjectinthefieldofsocialmarketing.In2008,hewas appointed asCommunicationsOfficer for theILOSub‐regionalOfficeforNorthAfrica.Furthermore,Osmanworked in the field of advertising andmediaplanning at StarcomMediaVest Group. Today,WalidOsmanworksinthefieldofpublicdiplomacybesidesworking as a Senior Researcher in the Egyptian‐German research group in the DAAD project“Journalism in Transformation in Egypt” incooperation between Freie Universität Berlin andCairoUniversity. SaraKhorshid isamember in theEgyptian‐Germanresearch group in the DAAD project “Journalism inTransformation in Egypt” in cooperation betweenFreieUniversitätBerlinandCairoUniversity.Sheisacolumnist and journalist who has extensiveexperience in coveringEgypt and the region, aswellas Arab‐Western relations. Her articles have beenpublished in The New York Times, The Guardian,Huffington Post, Jadaliyya, Al‐Monitor, Al‐Shorouk,Mada Masr and numerous other media outlets. ShereceivedaBachelor'sdegreeinpoliticalsciencefromCairoUniversityin2002andsheiscurrentlyworkingon an MA in Euro‐Mediterranean Studies, herdissertation‐in‐progress being about the EuropeanUnionandmultilateralismininternationalrelations.

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Conference Program

Thursday,12thofNovember2015Venue:room116,Seminarzentrum,FreieUniversitätBerlin,Silberlaube,Otto‐von‐Simson‐Str.26,14195Berlin

18.00‐20.00 PublicKeynoteYosriFouda:AutumnofNasser'sMediaState

Abstract:AftertheJanuary25revolutionin2011,Egyptwasintroducedtoahugedoseofpressfreedomwhichquicklymovedfrompluralismtopolarizationandarguablychaos.Fearofislamizationofthestatewouldsoonleadtoasharpu‐turnorchestratedbythedeepstateonascaleneverexperiencedbefore.YosriFoudatracesbacktherootstoNasser’serathatexplainstoday'smediasceneinEgypt.Hearguesthatthissituationwillnotlastforlong.BiographicalNote:AgraffitiofhisfaceinTahrirSquarereads:"TheEloquentVoiceoftheRevolution".Butafterthedeclineofpressfreedom,YosriFoudahadtosuspendhispopularONTVshow,AkherKalam (LastWord), inSeptember,2014. Startinghis career in1994asa rovingreporterwiththeBBC,hemovedontoAl‐JazeerachanneltopioneeranArabconceptofinvestigative journalism.Throughhisshow,SirriLilghaya (TopSecret),hebrokemanystories,includinghowal‐Qaedaplannedfor9/11.Authorof"TopSecret","MastermindsofTerror","InHarm'sWay",hisnewbook,"LastWord:ATestimonyofHopeinEgypt'sRevolution",willbepublishedbeforetheendofthisyear.

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Friday,13thofNovember2015Venue:room113,Seminarzentrum,FreieUniversitätBerlin,Silberlaube,Otto‐von‐Simson‐Str.26,14195Berlin

09.30 WelcomeHananBadr&CarolaRichter

10.00‐12.00 Panel1:MediaLandscapesinTransformation1. Fatima El‐Issawi, London School of Economics, UK:

OverviewofArabMediaTransformation2. AymanAl‐Sayyad,Egypt:TheEgyptianMediaLandscape in

5Years:FromRevolutiontoDiversitytoConformity3. HebaRaoufEzzat,CairoUniversity,Egypt:TheBlindandthe

Elephant:EndofJournalismandBirthofLiquidMedia

FatimaEl‐Issawi:OverviewofArabMediaTransformationTherelativeopennessofthetraditionalmediasectorpostArabuprisingswasreflectedinanexpansionofmediaoutletsthatremainedunmatchedbyanyradicalchangeinthepracticesorvaluesofArabjournalists.Themediachangereflectshugechallengessuchas the lack of agreed professional standards, state control and self‐regulation, and ablurred identity between reporting and advocacy, amongothers. The enthusiasm thatprevailed in the immediateaftermathofArabuprisings for theriseofan independentnational media industry regressed with the consistent misuse of media platforms inragingideologicalandpoliticalbattles.Ledbythemediaelites,thepoliticalalignmentofnational Arab media post uprisings has reduced the media again to the role of apowerfulplatformtoconveytheruler’smessage.Althoughtheissueofdraftingethicalcodeshasoccupiedmuchof thedebateabout themediareform, thesecodeswillhavelittleeffectifnotaccompaniedbyacomprehensiveregulatoryandstructuralreformofthisredundantsector.This paper is based on the main findings of the research and policy project “ArabRevolutions: Media Revolutions”, which looks at the transformations in traditionalnewsrooms under the complex and shaky political transitions in Tunisia, Egypt andLibya.Itlooksintothemajortrendsinthenew/oldtraditionalmediaunderthepoliticaltransitioninthesethreecountriesinanattempttomapcommonchallengesandtrendsaswellasmainobstaclesfacingmediareforminthesecountries.Fatima El‐Issawi is Senior Lecturer in Journalism in Essex University and AssistantProfessorialResearchFellowfortheMiddleEastCentreattheLondonSchoolofEconomics.HerexpertiseinthemediaindustrywithaspecificfocusonMiddleEastandNorthAfrica(MENA) crosses journalism, public communication, policy and academia.Between 2012and2014,Fatimawasleadingtheproject“ArabRevolutions:MediaRevolutions”fundedbythe Open Society Foundation. The project provided in depth empirical analysis on thetransformations in media practices and values brought by the transitional politicallandscape to traditionalmedia inTunisia,LibyaandEgypt.She is currently leading the

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project Arab NationalMedia and Politics: Democracy Revisited, looking at changes inmediapracticesintraditionalmediaindustriesinMoroccoandAlgeria.AymanAl‐Sayyad:TheEgyptianMediaLandscapein5Years:FromRevolutiontoDiversitytoConformitySince the revolution in 2011 media images of the public became iconic; pictures ofpeopleinprotestsandvotingqueuesbecamearelevantforcetoreckonwhenexplainingthe turbulent political path. Accordingly the people became a determinant that haspotential to set themedia landscape. In addition,media became an important tool insocietal debates. Over the past five years the media landscape reflected the radicalpolarization in the Egyptian society. Professional values were non‐existent in allideological camps, except for a few media outlets that pursued objectivity in theircoverage. Yet themajority of themedia published blatant lies, aimed tomobilize thepublic and spread the conspiracy theory in their coverage. The post‐revolutionarytransitionalperiodwitnessedacomplexrelationshipbetweenmediaandpolitics,yetthelackofaclearprocesstowardstruetransitional justicestalledanypossiblereformsofthemediasystem.ThepaperdiagnosestheailmentsofthemediasystemsinEgyptaftertherevolutionanddescribesthestatusquo.Ayman Al‐Sayyad is an Egyptian journalist, writer, magazine editor and politicalcommentator.Hehasbeeneditorof theperiodicalWeghatNazar since2000,andhasaweeklycolumninAlShoroukNewspaper.Inadditiontohis journalisticcareer,onAugust27,2012,Al‐SayyadwaschosenasasenioradvisortothefirstelectedEgyptianpresidentaftertheJanuary25uprising,MohammedMorsibutheresigned later inprotestovertheconstitutional declaration ofNovember 2012,which he considered a key failure of theMuslim Brotherhood to govern inclusively. Currently he is boardmember of the ArabJournalism Award, a member of the advisory board for the UNDP’s Arab HumanDevelopment Report (AHDR), and amember of the board of trustees for the StrategicDocumentsCentre,Egypt. HebaRaouf Ezzat: TheBlind and the Elephant: End of Journalism andBirth ofLiquidMediaPrint,broadcastanddigitaljournalismhavechangedinformandcontentinEgyptinthelast twodecades.Thecontentofnewsnarrativeshasbeendiversified,andnewmediaproduction vehicles such as blogs and newspaperwebsites, including their associatedaudio and video podcasts, became platforms for reporting as well as expression andanalysis.Thestory‐tellingskillsof trainedandexperiencedjournalistswerenotunderminedbycitizen journalism or youth new media platforms, but rather altered. New mediaplatformsaddapowerfuldimensiontothewayinwhichnewsnarrativesaredeliveredandthesocio‐politicalsceneiscovered.One can see the parallel changes taking place on the political scene: The decline inprofessionalism in journalismreflectsa trend in thepolitical sphere:Thecomparative

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approach in order to track the emerging forms and contents of "journalisms" canhighlightnewformsofpoliticalexpressionandformationofviews.The"publicopinion"is segmented and divided between generations, spaces and views. The assessment ofobjectivity, truth, balance, impartiality, accuracy, fairness and lackofbias isbecomingmoredifficult.This paper will describe new forms and platforms of journalism, from local"neighborhoodnewspapers",acrosspoliticalvideostonewswebsitesthatattractyoungpoliticalanalysts.Itexploreshowthesearemanifestationofchangingmapsofthepublicdomain. Furthermore, it reflects upon their impact on the current public debate in apolitical environment witnessing shrinking access to information and diminishingfreedomofopinion.HebaRaoufEzzathastaughtpoliticaltheoryatCairoUniversitysince1987andwasanadjunctprofessorattheAmericanUniversityinCairofrom2006till2013.CurrentlysheisavisitingscholaratLondonSchoolofEconomics(2015/2016).ShewroteherMAthesisonwomenandpoliticsinIslam(1992),andherPhDonthehistoryoftheliberalconceptsofcitizenship. Her academic interest ismulti‐faceted and includes: notions of citizenship,multiplemodernities,urbanpolitics,sociologyofthecyberspace,violence:hegemonyandsovereignty,globaldemocracyandglobalcivilsociety,historyofIslamicpoliticalconcepts,and the implicationsofpolitical informality.Shepublishedwidely inArabic,EnglishandGerman.In2014shewasawardedbytheGermanAcademicExchangeOffice inCairo forher efforts in fostering academic cooperation between Egypt and Germany. Her mostrecentworkwasco‐editingtheOxfordEncyclopediaonIslamandWomen(2013).Shehastwo books published in Arabic 2015 which are entitled The Political Imagination ofIslamistsandTowardsaNewCivility. In recent years,Ezzatwasa visiting fellowatUCBerkeley 2010,GeorgetownUniversity (2011),Oxford Center for Islamic Studies (2012)and Maastricht (2013). In addition to her academic career, she was a co‐founder ofIslamonline.net, a website that was rated one of themost important Islamic websites(1999‐2009), and was a columnist at Al‐Sha'ab then Al‐Dustur opposition newspapersbetween 1992 and 2010. She is also known as a public commentator and lecturer onIslamicsocialtheoryandethics.   

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13.00‐15.00 Panel 2: Freedom of Speech and Other Challenges toMediaFreedom

1. Magued Osman, Cairo University, Egypt: The Role ofFreedom of Information in Transition to Democracy: TheCaseofEgypt

2. ReemMagued,ONAAcademy,Egypt:FreedomofSpeech inEgyptianMedia

3. Mostafa Shaat, American University in Cairo, Egypt:Augmented Challenges and Ongoing Hardships: EgyptianJournalismafterJune2013

MaguedOsman:TheRoleofFreedomofInformationinTransitiontoDemocracy:TheCaseofEgyptFreedomofinformationisacornerstonetoasmoothtransitiontodemocracy.Thelackofinformationhasanegativeimpactonbotheconomic,politicalandsocialaspects.Thelinkbetweenfreedomofinformationandtransitiontodemocracyevolvesthroughthreefactors:goodgovernance, sustainabledevelopmentandnecessityofeconomicgrowth.Good governance requires an environment conducive to transparency andaccountability.Suchenvironmentallowsthesocietytofightcorruptionandtoimproveperformance. Without freedom of information such environment cannot exist and islikely togeneratedistrust in institutionsandwill impede theabilityofgovernment torespond to public criticism. For development to be sustainable, it requirescomprehensive programs to face challenges such as poverty alleviation, womenempowerment, youth participation, and better education and health services for all.Inequality and geographical disparitieswithin countries require amore sophisticatedstatistical system to produce indicators not only on the national level but also on thelocal level. Inmanydevelopingcountries,economicgrowth is theonlywaytogenerateenough jobs. Economic growth cannot be achievedwithout trust of local and foreigninvestors. Trust can be created and maintained throughout stable and transparentmacro‐economic policies and throughout accessible relevant and timely informationrelated to business development. The government should perceive freedom ofinformationasanopportunitytosecuregrowthratherthanperceiveitasathreat.Thethree factors (good governance, sustainable development and necessity of economicgrowth) are anecessity forEgypt even though transition todemocracy is becoming acontroversialterm.OneimportantopportunityisArticle68intheEgyptianconstitution.The article started by stating that information is a public good. It provides theopportunity for public accessibility to information. To benefit from this opportunity,advocatesforfreedomofinformationshouldexplaintheeconomicandsocialneedsforaccess to information, not overemphasize its political necessity. A recent analysis ofaccessibilitytopublicinformationinsevensectorsshowsanumberofbottlenecksandsuggeststothegovernmentasetofactionsto increasetransparency.SuchactionscanhelpmakingArticle68anagentofchange.

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Magued Osman is the managing director of the Egyptian Center for Public OpinionResearch(Baseera).HeisalsoaprofessoratCairoUniversity.OsmanisthefoundingchairoftheArabNetworkforPublicOpinionPollingCentersandthevicechairoftheArabUnionfor Statisticians. He also served as the Minister of Communications and InformationTechnology in the post‐revolution caretaker government. Osman has led a number ofnationalsurveysintheMiddleEastandheiscurrentlytheleadauthoroftheEgyptHumanDevelopmentReport.ReemMagued:FreedomofSpeechinEgyptianmediaThere is a very famous Egyptian proverb that can literally be translated as "Is thequestion forbidden?!" or "Is there any shame about asking?!" It is usually usedwhensomeone asks a question and faces an outrageous, offensive, unreasonable reactiondenouncingtheveryactofaskinginprinciple.Sothepersonwho"dared"toaskusuallyuses this proverb in counter‐challenging the denunciation by rejecting this sort of"intellectual terrorism". I call it “terrorism” because it does not only forbid the act ofasking,butmost importantlytheactofthinking.Thisproverbcanbeperfectlyappliedon the current situation in Egypt at large, and on the Egyptian media landscape inparticular.Today, daring to ask can easily be considered as a disgraceful act. Current laws caneasilyturnthemerequestionintoacriminalact.Askingquestionsisthecornerstoneofjournalism.Buttoday,"freedomofspeech"doesnotexistinEgyptianmediaingeneraland in TV in particular. Instead, Egyptian media are so much shaped by taboos,polarization, auto‐censorship, dictations, unprofessional/unethical practices, partialitythattheyactuallyplaytheroleof"TheMinistryofTruth"inGeorgeOrwell's1984.Various violationsof freedomof speech inEgyptianmedia aremuchmore flagrant intelevision than inanyothermedium inEgypt.Same for itsconsequences; television isstill the most influential medium in Egypt and the Arab world, not only because ofpovertyandilliteracy,butalsobecauseofanextremelyoralandaspecificfamilyculturein Egypt and the Arab region. Lacking freedom of speech in Egyptian media and TVcomes from many reasons: absence of any transitional justice programs after theJanuary Revolution, the ownership structures of TV stations, the laws and theregulations that control the profession, lacking professional standards, and finally thewidespreadirresponsibleandunprofessionalconductofthemostinfluentialplayersandpersonalities in the field. As for the repercussion on the society, it is "Orwellian" parexcellence.Reem Magued works as TV Journalist and Media Trainer. She graduated in the TVJournalismDepartmentfromtheFacultyofMassCommunicationatCairoUniversity.Shestartedherprofessional career in1995at theEgyptianStateTelevision (NileTV,Frenchservice).Sincethenshehasbeenworkinginthefieldsofnewsediting,newsreportingandpresenting,documentaries,and talk shows.ReemMaguedholdsmedia trainings for theONAAcademy,ONTV,DeutscheWelleArabic,Al‐JazeeraandAl‐JazeeraChildren.Hermainhosted shows includeWoujhatNazar (Point of view) onAl‐Jazeera;Baladna belMasry

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(ONTV);andWomenataTurningPointonDWArabic.ShecurrentlyholdsthepositionofHeadofResearchandDevelopmentatONAhttp://ona‐academy.com/Mostafa Shaat: Augmented Challenges and Ongoing Hardships: EgyptianJournalismafterJune2013The journalism scene in Egypt faced dramatic changes during the last few years. Inparticular, the different newspapers in Egypt (the government‐owned as well as theprivatelyowned)becamedirectlyaffectedby thestridentsocio‐politicaldivisions thatstruck Egypt after the ouster ofMursi after June 30, 2013. Themediawere allegedlyforcedtopropagatetheregime’spoliciesandtosupportthemeasurestakenafterwardsin the government’s “waron terror”. The government, in turn, sought to “nationalize”journalism in Egypt by creating a hostile working environment for journalists andimposing several security restrictions and as well as defying the principles of thefreedomofpress.This is largely believed to be the product of the commonness, and almost voluntary,propagationof thegovernmentpoliciesby the “independent”or “secular”newspapersthat became largely affluent and dependent on the heavy political investment by theregimeanditspoliticalproponents.In parallel, the government’s intensified campaign against freedom of speech in thecountry began by shutting down several newspapers, best known for their Islamistbackgrounds,thenbytargetingthefieldjournalistscoveringthebloodydispersaloftheRaba’acampaign,andlastbutnotleastbyharshlysentencingseveraljournalistsforlongperiodsinjail.This paper aims to examine the transformation of the journalistic scenery in Egyptthroughout the past two years from the diverse environment largely created in theaftermathofthe2011uprisingtothecurrentboltedclimate.Indoingso,thepaperwilladdress the issues of the increasing security encroachments on journalists and theirnewspapers, the recent imposition of restrictive laws and regulations that aimed tojustifytheincessanttargetingofthefieldcorrespondentsandjournalists, thestrife fornewregulatorylegislations,andfinallytheimpactofthefinancialcrisisthathitthevastmajority of the popular newspapers and the anticipated structural reformation thatawaitsthesevenues.MostafaShaatisalegalandhumanrightsresearcherbasedinCairowhoholdsanLL.M.degree in “International Law of Human Rights” from the Law School of Notre DameUniversity,Indiana.Sincethepopularuprisingof2011,hejoinedanumberoflocalNGOs,suchastheCairoInstitute forHumanRightsStudiesandTheAssociation forFreedomofThoughtandExpressionasa junior researcher focusingon issuesof transitional justice,freedomof speechandexpression,andalsoon criminal justice.He currentlyworksasaresearcher in thenewly‐foundedLawandSocietyResearchUnit (LSRU) in the “lawandsecurity”teamattheAmericanUniversityinCairo.

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15.30‐17.30 Panel3:ThePoliticalEconomyofMediainTransformation1. Adel Iskandar, Simon Fraser University in Vancouver,

Canada:DeregulationandConformity:HowPrivatizationofMediainEgyptProducedLessNotMore

2. Hafez Al Mirazi, American University in Cairo, Egypt:ReformingtheStructureoftheBroadcastingSector

3. SourayaEl Badaoui, CairoUniversity, Egypt: Pluralism in aContestedPublicSphere

AdelIskandar:DeregulationandConformity:HowPrivatizationofMediainEgyptProducedLessNotMoreThispaperwilladdresstheproliferationofprivatemedia–bothprintandbroadcasting– over the past decade and the dual promises of content diversification and criticaljournalistic practice. By examining how deregulation, privatization, and functionoutsourcinghave impacted themediaproduction sector, I analyzehow in conjunctionwith a turbulent political and economic milieu, these transformations precipitated acomparativedeclineinbothmediacontentandsubstance,despiteaestheticandstylisticchange.Thepaperwillalsodiscussthecommodificationandconsumerizationofcontentinlightofcorporatizedmediaimperativesandtheincreasinglyinterwovenstate‐privatesectorinterests.AdelIskandarisAssistantProfessorofGlobalCommunicationatSimonFraserUniversityinVancouver,Canada.He is theauthor,co‐author,andeditorofseveralworks includingEgypt InFlux:EssaysonanUnfinishedRevolution (AUCP/OUP);Al‐Jazeera:TheStoryofthe Network that is Rattling Governments and Redefining Modern Journalism (BasicBooks); Edward Said: A Legacy of Emancipation and Representation(University ofCalifornia Press); and Mediating the Arab Uprisings (Tadween Publishing). Iskandar'sworkandhislecturesdealwithmedia,identityandpolitics.Hislatestpublicationistheco‐edited volume Media Evolution on the Eve of the Arab Spring (Palgrave Macmillan).IskandartaughtpreviouslyatGeorgetownUniversity,theUniversityofTexas‐Austin,andtheAmericanUniversityinWashington,DC.Heisaco‐editorofJadaliyyaandahostoftheaudiojournalStatusHour.HafezAlMirazi:ReformingtheStructureoftheBroadcastingSectorSince the introduction of radio in 1934, followed by television in 1960, the systemgoverningEgyptianbroadcastinghasbeenhighlycentralized.Thenationalbroadcastingbody, the Egyptian Radio and Television Union, or ERTU, has a monopoly on theoperation of all radio and terrestrial TV frequencies in the country. Despite anambivalentrelationshipbetweentheEgyptiansocietyanditsnationalbroadcaster,andan overall decline in trust that first emerged prominently as a result of inaccuratecoverageof the1967warwith Israel, thisdominationensuredcontrolof thenationalnarrativeuntiltheintroductionofpan‐Arabsatelliteinthe1990s.Sincetheproliferationofforeigncontent,theERTUhasstruggledtoremaincompetitiveandrelevant.

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Today,Egypt’snationalstate‐broadcasteremploysroughly40,000peopleandoperatesalmostexclusivelyoutofCairo.Despiteabloatedbureaucraticstructure,challengeswithperformance and financial debt, the ERTU possesses extensive infrastructure andremainsavaluablesourceofhumancapital.The most viable solution to the issues facing Egyptian broadcasting is gradualrestructuringthat focusesondecentralizationandageneralopeningupof thesystem.Thiswould include theestablishmentof localbroadcasters ineveryurbanarea in thecountry. If the existing relay stations and repeaters (currently used to deliver Cairo‐producedcontentnationally)wereconvertedintolocalpublicandprivatestations,eachcity could have several TV channels and radio stations broadcasting both local andnational content.Bypermitting someprivate licensingof frequencies, theERTUcouldestablish a semi‐corporate structure that would offer its employees growth andownership opportunities, and offer the country valuable, competitive, and relevantcontent.Establishingradioandtelevisionnetworkswouldguaranteekeepingvariousregionsofthecountryattachedtonationalnewsand identitywhileserving the localneedsof itsaudience. Encouraging local and regional cable and terrestrial broadcasting willdiminish the influence of satellite broadcasting from abroad. Indeed, decentralizationmightbelessthreateningtothecentralizedpoliticalsystemthanitsperceivedthreatoftheeffectsofforeignbroadcastersonitscitizens.HafezAlMiraziisDirectoroftheAdhamCenterforTelevisionandDigitalJournalismattheAmericanUniversity in Cairo (AUC) andProfessor ofPractice in theDepartment ofJournalismandMassCommunication.HehasworkedinAmericanandArabbroadcastingas anchor of Egypt Time (Bi‐Tawqeet Masr) on BBC Arabic and of the weekly newsprogramCairoTime(Bi‐TawqeetElQahera)onDream2TVandhealsohosted thetalkshowStudioCairoonAl‐ArabiyaTV.HehelpedfoundingtheEgyptiansatellitechannelAl‐Hayat.InhistimeinWashingtonD.C.heservedasAl‐Jazeera’sU.S.bureauchiefandhostedthechannel’sweeklynewsprogramFromWashington(2000‐2007).WhileinWashington,AlMirazialsoheldpositionsascorrespondentandbroadcasterattheVoiceofAmerica’sArabicservice,theBBCArabic/WorldServiceandtheArabNetworkofAmerica(ANA).HestartedhiscareerasaradiojournalistwithRadioCairo'sVoiceoftheArabsin1980.SourayaElBadaoui:PluralisminaContestedPublicSphereThe Egyptian media landscape is characterized by pluralism in terms of mediaownership patterns that range from national (governmental) over partisan (liberal,communist)toprivateandreligious(Islamic,Coptic).The presentation departs from the questionhow the Egyptianmedia elite’s discoursetreats the "other", i.e. Islam or the Coptic religion respectively in the public sphere. Ifocus on the extent of activation on both the structural& the performing level of thedifferent media outlets (governmental, partisan or private) for promoting dialogue.Finally,mediastandardsofgovernancefromacommunityperspectivearepromoted.

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Ontheintellectuallevel,thestudywillbebasedontheconceptsof"worldview",andthesocialconstructionofrealityasprovidedbythemedia.Methodologically,thestudywillrelyonamediadiscourseanalysisofthedifferentreligiousEgyptiangroups(theMuslimBrotherhood, theSalafis and theCopts)during theparliamentaryelections in2012 inseveral Egyptian newspapers that represent different forms of ownership and thusreflect different ideological, political and economic trends and attitudes. The study'sfindings reveal that there is a lack of media governance standards in the partisannewspapers represented by Al‐Wafd, Al‐Ahali and Al‐Fath newspapers, and even theprivateonerepresentedbyAl‐MasryAl‐Youm.IarguethattheEgyptianmedialandscapetendstoaddresstheaudience'sfeelingswithvague concepts of governance, modernization, subjectivity and dialogue. So, partisanand private newspapers with Islamist orientation supported the concept of socialresponsibility,whichisoneofthemediagovernancestandards.Mediaownershipisnotthe only influence on the governance process, but the ideological orientations of themediaeliteandtheirmutualperceptionsand imagesof theotheralsoplayarole.TheresultswillbeexplainedinlightofthepolarizedpublicsphereinEgypt,asshowninthecivicandtheIslamicmovement.SourayaElBadaoui,isProfessorofInternationalCommunicationattheDepartmentofPublicRelationsattheFacultyofMassCommunicationatCairoUniversity.Shereceivedher PhD from Quebec University, Montreal in Canada. Her research interests includeinternational communication,media and citizenship,media and intercultural dialogue,mediareforms,mediatheoryandqualitativeresearchtechniques.Shepublishednumerousarticles in the Egyptian Journal of Mass Communication Research. El Badaoui hasparticipated in international conferences. She also co‐organized conferences incollaborationwith international organizations including the UNESCO. Hermost recentbookisentitledInternetusers:ReflectingonTheoriesoftheNewMedia(Cairo,2015).   

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Saturday,14thofNovember2015Venue:room116,Seminarzentrum,FreieUniversitätBerlin,Silberlaube,Otto‐von‐Simson‐Str.26,14195Berlin

10.00‐12.00 Panel4:StructuralReforms:TheCaseofTVandPublicServiceBroadcasting

1. SarahEl‐Richani,Berlin,Germany:PublicServiceBroadcastingintheArabWorld:prospectsandhurdles

2. NaomiSakr,UniversityofWestminster,UK:Egypt’sMediaEcology:HelporHindrancetoPublicServiceBroadcasting?

3. HusseinAmin,AmericanUniversityinCairo,Egypt:ReformsoftheEgyptianRadioand TelevisionUnion

Sarah El‐Richani:Public‐servicebroadcasting in theArabWorld:prospects andhurdlesSeveralstate‐ownedbroadcastersintheArabworldhaveannouncedtheirintentiontotransform their institutions into public service broadcasters. Other state‐subsidisedmediacorporations,exaggeratingly,claimthattheydoinfactplaytheroleofapublic‐servicebroadcaster.Thispresentationshallarguethatanumberofpoliticalandsocio‐economic factors hinder this process. However, this does not mean the existence ofpublic service values and content are entirely amiss. The question is if the tangibleexpressionof thesevalues is sustainableandviable in lightofanumberof challengesfacingtheArabmedialandscape,notleastpoliticalandcommercialinstrumentalisation.InadditiontoprobingthehurdlesfacingpublicservicebroadcastersinthefourcasesofLibya, Tunisia, Egypt and Lebanon, this presentation shall also consider attempts atovercoming these obstacles. The presentation shall first assess the notion of public‐servicebroadcastingandtheirresonanceintheMiddleEast.AttemptstoemulatepublicservicebroadcastinginLibya,Tunisia,EgyptandLebanonwillthenbediscussed.Somelightshallbeshedonalternativeconduitsthatmayfulfilpublicservicevalues.This presentation draws on the findings of a BBC Media Action policy briefing co‐authoredbyEl‐RichaniandpublishedinSeptember2015.Sarah El‐Richani completed her doctoral studies in 2015 at the University of Erfurt,GermanywithaDAADscholarship.SheobtainedherM.A.inJournalismfromtheUniversityofWestminstercourtesyof theQuintinHoggScholarshipandherBA from theAmericanUniversity of Beirut, Lebanon. She served as lecturer in the Department of MassCommunicationatQatarUniversity from2014‐2015.Sheworked fortwoyearsasMENAprogrammeofficerfortheLondon‐basedNGOArticle19andhascarriedoutconsultanciesforanumber ofmediadevelopment organisations such asBBCMediaAction, IFEXandMICT.Hermonograph Lebanon:Anatomy of aMedia System in Perpetual Crisiswill bepublished in 2016 by PalgraveMacmillan. Sarah is on Twitter (@srichani) where shetweetsonMiddle‐Easternpolitics,themediaandmostelse.

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Naomi Sakr: Egypt’s Media Ecology: Help or Hindrance to Public ServiceBroadcasting?There is a simple reason why power‐holders in democratic countries accept publicservicemediaandthoseinnon‐democraticcountriesdonot.Thereasonliesinfreeandfairelections.Ifthoseingovernmentonedayknowthattheycouldbeoutofgovernmentandinoppositionthenext,theyhaveself‐interestinensuringthatthereisspaceforallvoicestobeheardinpublic,governmentandoppositionalike.Whereelectionseitherdonot take place, or are neither free nor fair, the reverse is true and the incentive forpoliticalleaderstocontrolpublicmediaisoverwhelming.Despitethis,theideaofpublicservicemedia,afterbeingderidedbysomeasredundantinaneraofproliferatingdigitalplatforms and an apparent crumbling of the barriers to media content creation, haslately enjoyed a renaissance. Organisations interested in media development, fromDeutsche Welle Akademie to BBC Media Action have produced policy advice abouttransformingnationalorstatebroadcastersfromgovernmentmouthpiecesintoforumsforunfetteredandpluralisticpublicdebateandculture.Thispresentation takes issuewith the implication inherent insuchstudies thatpublicservicemedia is amatter of organisations rather thanenvironment. Althoughoneormorepublicservicebroadcasterswithanonlinepresenceareanessentialelementinamedia ecology that supports public service, the broadcaster and the ecology are twodifferent things (Barnett 2011), with the design of the latter deserving far moreattentionthanitcurrentlyreceives.TakingEgyptasacasestudy,thistalkconsidersthelegalandregulatoryreformsneededtocreatetherightkindofenvironmentforpublicservicemedia,asdistinctfromtherightkindoforganisation.It starts by exploring the chances of creating a regulatory body independent fromgovernment that is authorised to apply certain basic principles to all broadcasters,commercialorpublicly‐owned,throughlicensingarrangements.Intheory,Egypt’s2014constitution,byestablishingthelegalbasisforthreebodieswithdifferenttypesofremitfor privately‐owned media, publicly‐owned newspapers and publicly‐ownedbroadcasting, potentially steered the country away from a licensing system geared tosharedprinciplesandobligationsintendedto inspirepublictrust inaudiovisualmediathroughprovisionoflocally‐createdcontentthatisrelevanttoallsectionsofsocietyinallpartsofthecountry.Thestudygoesontoconsiderlabourlawsandarrangementsforrepresenting the interests and aspirations of media practitioners specialised inbroadcastingandonlinecontent. It looksat thecultureofhandlingcomplaintsagainstmisrepresentation and at the precedents set for controlling election coverage ontelevision, including during the elections in October 2015. It looks at the country’sopenness to a range of ownershipmodels in audiovisualmedia, such as cooperatives,trustsorpublicly‐ownedoperationsrunoncommerciallines.DrawingonworkbyRamyAly (2011) it concludes by consideringwhether Egypt’smedia history to date servespublicunderstandingandacceptanceofthepublicserviceconceptaspractisedinotherpartsoftheworld.

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Naomi Sakr is Professor of Media Policy at the Communication and Media ResearchInstitute (CAMRI), University ofWestminster, and former director of the CAMRI ArabMedia Centre. Her study Good Practice in EU Public Service Broadcasting andContemporary Practice in Jordan: A Comparative Analysis was recently published byUNESCO‐Amman.Her2013monographTransformationsinEgyptianJournalismincludesachapteron ‘StimuliforaPublicServiceEthos’.Sheiscurrentlyleadingaresearchprojectonchildren’sscreencontent intheArabworldandherresearch interestsmoregenerallyincludetheinternationalpoliticaleconomyofArabmediaandobservanceofhumanrights.HusseinAmin:ReformsoftheEgyptianRadioand TelevisionUnionHussein Amin is Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication at the AmericanUniversityinCairo.HeearnedaPhDdegreefromTheOhioStateUniversity.Hehasbeenaninvited lecturer to many universities around the world and has presented keynoteaddressestodifferentinternationalmediaorganizationsandcommunicationassociations.Dr. Amin is an active contributor to an extensive list of communication journals andinternationally recognizedmediapublications. Inaddition tohisacademicwork,hehasbeenrecognizedforhismediaprojectsandprofessionalwork.Dr.Aminhasalsoreceivednumerousawards in recognition forhiscontributions to the field.Dr.Amin’s research ismainlyfocusedonglobalmediasystemswithanemphasisonmedia law,regulationsandpoliciesintheMiddleEast.

13.00‐15.00 Panel5:RolePerceptionsofJournalists1. Naila Hamdy, American University in Cairo, Egypt: Self‐

perceptionofEgyptianJournalists2. Indira Dupuis, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany: Latvian

Journalists'Self‐perceptioninTransformation3. HossamBahgat,MadaMasr,Egypt:InvestigativeJournalism

NailaHamdy:Self‐perceptionofEgyptianJournalistsExperiencing the January25revolutionandconsequentpolitical changeshave shapedjournalists' professional work and self‐perceptions: Forgotten ideals of good practicesuch as accuracy, truthfulness, informing and enlightening the public, exposure ofpoliticalcorruptionandcorporatewrongdoing,exposureofsocialinjustices,defenseofhuman rights and acting as agents for social change reemerged andwere to a certainextentconsolidateddespiteconstraintsfromthepolitical,economic,legalenvironmentsandinsomecasesthepublic.Inshort,thequestionis,“DoEgyptianjournalistshavethedesiretomaintainthedriveforprofessionalautonomysostronglywitnessedaftertherevolution?”Studies on normative theories of the press, journalism culture and the perceivedinfluences on journalism practice in a democracy will be considered to answer thisquestion. Additionally, qualitative in‐depth interviews and participatory observation

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will be used to examine journalists’ attitudes, ideas of democracy, socialization,definitions of professional norms and most significantly their identification ofjournalisticaspirations.Naila Nabil Hamdy is Associate Professor and Chair of the Journalism and MassCommunication Department at the American University in Cairo. Her teachings andresearch include the journalism profession in Egypt and regionally, investigativejournalism and networked journalism, media and political participation, and mediadevelopment.Shehaspublishedarticles in the InternationalCommunicationGazette, theJournal ofMiddle EastMedia, the GlobalMedia Journal, the Journal of Arab&MuslimMediaResearch,theWestminsterPapersinCommunicationandCultureandtheJournalofCommunication.HamdyisaboardmemberoftheArab‐USAssociationforCommunicationEducators (AUSACE), and amember of several international academic and professionalassociations.SheisalsoafoundingmemberoftheEgyptianEditorsAssociation(EEA).IndiraDupuis:LatvianJournalists'Self‐perceptioninTransformationLatviaisasmallstateofabout2.4MillioninhabitantsintheNorthEastofEurope,whichwaspartoftheSovietUnionduringtheColdwar.Alreadyintheendofthe1980iestheLatvian mass media system underwent first changes before Latvia’s conversion todemocraticruleandthedeclarationofnationalindependence.Thefirstlegalsettlementswerefixedin1990,thejournalists’independencefromstatewasgrantedinthelaw“Onthe Press and other Mass Media”. After this, one could observe relatively fewinterventions by politicians, but the change from state‐directed economy to a freemarketeconomycausedmostlikelymorepressureonjournalismasasystemthanthestate.Journalistshadplayedaveryimportantroleinthetransitionprocessandafterindemocracy building. Some journalists working in public service broadcasting utilizedfrom the beginning the relaxation of regulation, due to ambiguity in the politicaltransformation phase, and developed very popular informatory broadcasts. Themostimportantprintmedia,“Diena”,ownedbyaSwedishmediacompany,servedthepublicfromtheverybeginningofthedemocraticruleasasuccessfulandseriousnewspaperinLatvianandRussian language.Otherwise,due tosocialcleavagesbetweentheRussianspeaking and the Latvian population, two information flows developed within thecountry, which last until today. Latvian journalism still inherited a culture of self‐censorshipandnewjournalistslackedasolidjournalistictraining.InthepresentationIwillgiveanoverviewaboutthedevelopmentsofjournalisminLatviawithanemphasison the journalists’ self‐perceptions and professional orientations from transition untiltoday and present some insights from interviews with journalists, which wereconductedin1999and2005.IndiraDupuisstudiedEasternEuropeanSciencesandMediaandCommunicationStudiesat FreieUniversität Berlin. Sheworked for several years inmedia, among others newsbroadcasting. Thereafter she returned to academia for conducting research aboutjournalism in Latvia within the international research programme “Baltic Sea Area

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Studies: Northern Dimension of Europe”. She earned her doctorate at Ruhr‐UniversityBochum.Besidesher obligationsas research and teaching employee shealso raised thefundsforandestablishedateachingeditorialofficeforbroadcastingjournalism.UntiltheendofSeptember2015sheheldavisitingprofessorshipatRuhr‐Universityforthesummerterm.HossamBahgat:InvestigativeJournalismHossamBahgatisajournalistandhumanrightsdefenderwithabackgroundinpoliticalscienceandinternationalhumanrightslaw.From2002to2013,BahgatwasthefoundingexecutivedirectoroftheEgyptianInitiativeforPersonalRights,wherehestillremainsaschairman.HisinvestigativestoriesappearintheindependentnewsserviceMadaMasr.Heserves as board chair of the International Network for Economic, Social, and CulturalRights,andamemberof theboardofdirectorsof theFund forGlobalHumanRights. In2010, Human Rights Watch awarded Bahgat the Allison Des Forges Award forExtraordinaryActivismandin2014hereceivedtheCatherineandGeorgeAlexanderLawPrizefromSantaClaraUniversity.

15.30‐17.30 Panel6:Self‐regulationofJournalists1. HamidaElBour, LaManouba,Tunisia:Tunisian Journalists

andMediaReform2. Abeer Saady, University of Westminster, UK: Efforts for a

SustainableSelf‐regulationModelinEgyptianJournalism3. FatmaElzahraaMohamed,CairoUniversity,Egypt:TheRole

of SocialMediaNetworks in Self‐organization Processes ofEgyptianJournalists

HamidaElBour:TunisianJournalistsandMediaReformThemedia and the journalists in countries likeTunisia trying to find their ownpathstowards democracy are subject to a lot of power struggles. The reforms in post‐revolution Tunisia in the field of the media demand new laws and new mediamanagementmethodsinordertofitwiththeliberalcontext.Thesenewrequirementsraiseadebateontheroleoftheactorsinvolvedinthemediadevelopmentprocess:thepoliticalsystem,thejournalistsandthecivilsociety.SomeoftheTunisian researchers analyzing the current situation say that it is "unforeseeable"because the people who are determined "to achieve the democratic transition areobliged to cohabit and to copewith thementality, thepracticesand thepersons" thatruledthemediaduringthedictatorshipera(Chouikha,2015).The threats to the freedomof thepressarepalpableandnoticeable indifferentways.Journalists–evenintheformofneworganizations–trytoactandreactinordernottofallbackintocensorshiporonthecontrary–letthemoneyhavetheleadintheliberalcontextoftheTunisianmedia.

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Inthispaperwewillanalyzethedangersthatcouldaffectthefreedomofthepressandcause a decline of the right to information. We will deal with the Tunisian mediacoverageofthe2014electionsbecausemanyhintstotheupcomingchallengesaretobeobserved there. Thenwewill focus on the role of the Tunisian Journalists’ Syndicate(SNJT)andTheTunisCenterforFreedomofthePress(CTLP).TheSNJT is represented in thebody regulating thebroadcastmedia (theHAICA,Highand Independent Authority for the Broadcast Media and Communication). It is alsoleadingtwomainreformactions:thediscussionsinordertoamendthelawonthepressfreedom issued in November 2011 and the project of the press council which issupposedtobetheself‐regulationbodyfortheprintandtheonlinemedia.Besides,theSNJT is active inmonitoring themedia in partnershipwithNGOswith the support ofinternationalorganizations.ThecaseoftheCTLPisdifferent.Itistheonlylocalorganizationwhichissuesmonthlyreportson theaggressionsagainst journalists in the field.Sowecanspeakof the roleand perceptions of Tunisian journalists within two frames: the first is based on theindividualattitudeandbehavior,asapartofthethreatstothefreedomofthepress.Thesecondframeisbasedonthecollectiveactionwithinthecivilsocietyandespeciallytheorganizationswhichrepresentalargenumberofthejournalistsandspeakonbehalfofthemasawhole.HamidaElBourisAssociateProfessorattheUniversitédelaManouba(Tunis),headingasCEOofthepublicnewsagencyTunisAfriquePresse(TAP)sinceFebruary2015.She isthe former Director of the Department of Journalism (2008‐2015) and the formercoordinatoroftheprofessionalmasterininvestigativejournalismattheInstituteofPressandInformationSciencesinTunisia.Sheisaresearcherinthefieldofmediaandpolitics,gender and the media, and she edited many articles about this issues. She has beenteaching investigativereporting formanyyearsandshe isatrainer for journalists inthefields of journalism practices. In 2011, shewas in charge of themediamonitoring unitwithintheIndependentHigherCommissionforElections(ISIE).She is also the editor of a collective book on "The public Arabmedia and democratictransition"(Tunis,2013)andco‐editorwithprofessorLarbiChouikhaofacollectivebooktitled "To be a journalist, today, in the era of the communication globalization – theexamplesoftheArabandtheAfricancountries"(Tunis,2014).SheworkedformorethantenyearsasajournalistinaTunisiandailynewspaper,LeTemps.Hamidaisalsoamediaexpertforlocalandinternationalorganizations(CAPJC,SNJT,CAWTAR,UNESCO,UNDP).Abeer Saady: Efforts for a Sustainable Self‐regulation Model in EgyptianJournalismAs Egypt deserves a successful model of media self‐regulation, this paper criticallyassesses the efforts towards establishing this. It elaborates on how the idea of theimplementation of self‐regulation started, and how it can be accomplished and whatwentwrong.Creatingaself‐regulationmodelwasoneofthekeyissuesdiscussedafterthe 25th of January revolution in Egypt. But introducing themodel to the journalists'

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communitywasachallenge.So theEgyptian journalists’ syndicatewith thesupportoftheUNESCOofficeinCairo,starteditseffortsassoonasMarch2011.Aseriesofevents,workshops, lectures and training sessions took place to explain the concept of self‐regulationaswellasspreadtheawarenessonthe issueandits importance.Gradually,additional partners joined, including anumber of Egyptian stakeholders, representingmedia community, civil society and regulatory authorities, aiming at revitalizing self‐regulatory system of Egypt and strengthening professional ethics and editorialindependenceofjournalists.WhiletheGermanself‐regulationmodelwasaninspiration,experts from other countries including Sweden, Indonesia, United Kingdom, andPakistan were also invited to introduce their self‐regulation models. In addition acomparativestudywasconductedbyAidanWhiteandRagaieElMerghanitohighlighttheworld’smajorself‐regulationmodels. Its focuswas itsadaptability to theEgyptianmedia landscape.Against thisbackgroundapreparatorycommittee for self‐regulationwascreated,thathadthetasktofacilitatethecreationofaself‐regulatorybody.In addition to the legal‐administrative steps, parallel efforts had to be done: such asspreading the culture of self‐regulation inside the media institutions and publishinghouses,trainingmiddlemanagementofmediahouses,andextractingethicalrulestobeapplied in the daily journalistic busy routines. Sustainability of the self‐regulationmechanismscanonlybeachievedthroughawareness.However, creating a base for an Egyptian self‐regulationmodel facedmany obstaclesand challenges. The initiatives that came from the stakeholders, the journalists, werehijackedseveraltimes.Untilnow,theaspiredmodeldoesnotexist.AsthepresenterwasVice‐president of the Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate as well as the syndicate’srepresentative in the first preparatory committee to establish an Egyptian self‐regulationmodel during this period shewitnessed the insiderdebates and challengesfirsthand.Inparticularthechallengesincludedthelegalchallengesincetheconstitutionamendments didn’t guarantee creating a suitable self‐regulation body for the media.Furthermore, the paper shall highlight other attempts of creating similar models forethicaljournalisminwar‐torncountries.Basedontrainingjournalistsinconflictzones,as Syria, Libya and Iraq, for the last four years regional initiatives for self‐regulationamongArabjournalistswillbeintroducedaswell.Abeer Saady is an award‐winning Egyptian journalist, consultant and trainerwith 25yearsofworkinthefieldofmediaacrosstheArabworld.ReportersWithoutBordershaschosenherinthe"100HeroesofInformation"listasrecognitionofherworkin2014.Shehasadistinguishedrecordandan internationalreputation forher frontlinework in thefieldofmediadevelopmentandtraininginconflictareas.Shehasmanagedanddeliveredtraining for journalists and newsmedia in theMiddle East, Europe and Asia and hasconductedprogrammesinEnglishandArabic.Sheworkswithinternationalorganizationsand themedia development community and hasmade keynote interventions atmanyinternationalconferencesandhaspublishedextensivelyonjournalism,politicalaffairsandmediadevelopment.Over thepast15 years shehas trainedhundredsof journalistsandmanaged numerous projects in crisis andwar‐torn regions, all of them devoted to the

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promotionofethicalandquality journalism inconditionsofsafety.Shewaselectedthreetimes asVice president of theEgyptian Journalists’ Syndicate for 8 years and currentlyelectedasamemberofboardofTheInternationalAssociationofWomenworkingatRadioandTelevision.FatmaElzahraaMohamed:TheRoleofSocialMediaNetworksinSelf‐organizationProcessesofEgyptianJournalistsThisresearchfocusesonformsofsocialmedianetworksusedbyEgyptianjournaliststofoster and support their self‐organization processes. The Egyptian Syndicate ofJournalists is the biggest and oldest one in the Arab region, committed to defendjournalists' rights and maintain professional principles and values. This paperinvestigates the role of the current use of different social media networks that maysupport or hamper the journalists from achieving a higher level of self‐regulationpractices to face the critical challenges that surround the Egyptianmedia industry ingeneral and the journalism industry in particular. The main objectives of thepresentationaretoanswerthefollowingquestions:1‐Whatarethemainself‐regulationforms of Egyptian journalists? 2‐ How do these forms use social media networks(Facebook,Twitter,Youtube)toachieveprogressinself‐regulationprocesses?3‐Whatare the relationshipsbetweenage, gender,newspaper type (national, partial,private),syndicate membership and the existing attitudes towards the possible social medianetworksapplicationsandusesinself‐regulationprocessesofEgyptianjournalists.The empirical study is based on interviews with journalism professional expertsconductedby faceto facecommunicationorvia telephoneandquestionnairethatwasansweredby100 journalistsworking indifferent typesof journalism institutions.Thedataindicatessignificantrelationshipsbetweengender,age,syndicatemembershipandjournalists’convictionofsocialmedianetworksusefulnessforsupportingrelationshipsamongjournaliststoreachahigherlevelofself‐regulation.FatmaElzahraaMohamedElsayedisAssociateProfessorattheJournalismDepartmentofMass Communication Faculty in CairoUniversity and currently holds the position ashead of the Journalism Department at Faculty of Mass Communication at the AhramCanadianUniversity(ACU)inCairo.SheworkedforfiveyearsinKAUandKSUuniversitiesin theKingdomofSaudiArabiaand for twoyearsatCairoUniversity (2013‐2015).Hermainresearchareafocusesonelectronic journalism.Fatmaconductednumerousstudies,twoofwhichhavebeenawarded in2008and2012during theannualconferenceof theFaculty ofMass Communication at CairoUniversity. Fatma is amember of IAMCR andparticipatedinconferencesabroad.

17.30‐18.00 ConclusionHanan Badr, Carola Richter, Eman Amin, Walid Osman & SaraKhorshid

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ConferenceProgram:

Thursday,12thofNovember2015Venue:room116,Seminarzentrum,FreieUniversitätBerlin,Silberlaube,Otto‐von‐Simson‐Str.26,14195Berlin18.00‐20.00 PublicKeynote

YosriFouda:AutumnofNasser'sMediaState

Friday,13thofNovember2015Venue:room113,Seminarzentrum,FreieUniversitätBerlin,Silberlaube,Otto‐von‐Simson‐Str.26,14195Berlin09.30 Welcome

HananBadr&CarolaRichter

10.00‐12.00 Panel1:MediaLandscapesinTransformation

FatimaEl‐Issawi|AymanAl‐Sayyad|HebaRaoufEzzat

13.00‐15.00 Panel2:FreedomofSpeechandOtherChallengestoMediaFreedom

MaguedOsman|ReemMagued|MostafaShaat

15.30‐17.30 Panel3:ThePoliticalEconomyofMediainTransformation

AdelIskandar|HafezAlMirazi|SourayaElBadaoui

Saturday,14thofNovember2015Venue:room116,Seminarzentrum,FreieUniversitätBerlin,Silberlaube,Otto‐von‐Simson‐Str.26,14195Berlin10.00‐12.00 Panel4:StructuralReforms:thecaseofTVandPublicService

Broadcasting

SarahEl‐Richani|NaomiSakr|HusseinAmin

13.00‐15.00 Panel5:RolePerceptionsofJournalists

NailaHamdy|IndiraDupuis|HossamBahgat

15.30‐17.30 Panel6:Self‐regulationofjournalists

HamidaElBour|AbeerSaady|FatmaElzahraaMohamed

17.30‐18.00 Conclusion