EGYPTIAN MEDIA .. OLD HABITS DIE HARD

Egypt's ruling military council pledged "repeatedly", that they won't seek staying in power. The council announced that they will patronage the democratic transformation. And, it is very hard for oneself to argue otherwise, except in regards of the Egyptian media. Or maybe it is the Egyptian media old habits.


Yesterday (March, 31), A press conference was held by few people who claimed to be tortured by the army. The press conference came amid allegations by number of Human rights groups that the army detained and tortured many pro-democracy protesters during the protests that led to the fall of Mubarak's regime. This story, or allegations, couldn't find its place in the broadcasting rundown of the Egyptian's TVs, neither did the press conference.


It is not the first incident in which the Egyptian media pampers the military council. Two weeks ago, as the Egyptians were preparing themselves to vote in the referendum of the constitutional amendments. Egyptian State TV, surprisingly, reduced its coverage and programs regarding the debates in the matter. Sources even went far to claim that the station received instructions from the council to do so.


The history of the Egyptian official media being a propaganda tool of Egyptian regimes goes to the time of "Sound of Arabs" radio station at the era of the late president Jamal Abdul Nasser, who, at least, had the courage to say "It is one of my tools in my struggle against the colonial powers". From then and on, the Egyptian media accustomed itself to be a servant of whoever sets in the top. And when the Egyptian revolutionaries were struggling to oust Mubarak, a significant portion of their anger directed at the State TV.


Now, as the police state became part of Egyptian history, Egyptians still struggle to keep their eyes focused on the behavior of their ruling military council, and most of all, the credibility and independence of their media. 


If the military council want to see, under their patronage, a transformation toward democracy in Egypt, they must loose their grip on the media, or push the media to kill its old habits. Because there is no democracy without an independent media. Simply as that.