Journalism is becoming an increasingly dangerous and precarious
profession in Egypt. Thousands of journalists risk life and limb on the
streets while covering volatile events — often to find that their job
security is also being threatened. In numerous cases, journalists are
“rewarded” for their efforts by being dismissed from their jobs.
Al-Masry Media Corporation is the most recent employer to “reward”
its journalists and employees with mass layoffs. Concerned with
profitability, the company recently dismissed a number of its employees,
with its closure of Al-Siyassy magazine in February and Egypt
Independent this month.
While Egypt Independent is the most recent victim of closures and
layoffs, a host of other newspapers and magazines — particularly
independent and opposition publications — have also been shut down in
recent years. Several of the remaining newspapers have raised the prices
of their publications while cutting their budgets, and laying off
employees.
Al-Siyassy and Egypt Independent follow in the footsteps of many
including Al-Badeel, Al-Dostour and Daily News Egypt — the original
versions — which have all been forced to shut down in recent years.
Khaled al-Balshy, Journalists Syndicate secretary and former editor
of Al-Badeel newspaper, says that 13 papers have been closed down over
the past few years.
“These closures have left some 350 journalists unemployed,” Balshy says.
Balshy adds that a total of 650 to 700 journalists, if not more,
have been dismissed prior to and since the 25 January revolution two
years ago.
“More closures are expected in the near future and more job losses are expected as a result,” Balshy says.
BURDENSOME PROFESSION
In Egypt and the Arab world, journalism is known as “mahnat
al-mataeb” — the burdensome profession. Faced with physical danger, the
threat of arrests, growing financial crises, the mismanagement of news
outlets and rising unemployment — along with a host of other problems —
Egypt’s journalists increasingly find themselves paying the price for
these burdens with their own welfare and jobs.
Prior to and since the revolution’s onset, journalists are
continuing to risk their lives and physical safety while covering
violent protests, clashes and uprisings.
Police shotguns have claimed the eyes of several journalists, while
independent journalist Al-Husseini Abu Deif was shot dead outside the
presidential palace in December, and journalist Mohamed Sabry faces a
military tribunal for his work in Sinai.
Countless others have been beaten and arrested by security forces,
assaulted by supporters of the ruling regime (outside Muslim Brotherhood
offices and the presidential palace), and even attacked by the Coptic
Orthodox Church’s boy scouts.
“Neither employers nor the Journalists Syndicate provide sufficient
safety nets for journalists,” says Mohamed Radwan, a freelancer who
used to work for Al-Dostour newspaper.
Radwan is one of nearly 100 journalists who have lost their jobs at Al-Dostour.
EGYPTIAN JOURNALISTS
The average salaries of full-time journalists in daily newspapers
range from LE400 to LE2,000 per month. For internships and training,
beginner journalists are typically not paid at all.
Moreover, the widespread practice of employing full-time
journalists on part-time contracts serves to deny these employees their
right to bonuses, promotions, insurance coverage, profit sharing (when
applicable), job stability and the right to join the Journalists
Syndicate.
“I’d been employed for five years at Al-Dostour, yet was not even
offered a part-time contract,” Radwan says. “I was thus denied my
periodic bonuses, insurance plan and end-of-service payment, along with
all of my other rights.”
Only a minority of journalists are accepted into the Journalists Syndicate, Radwan adds.
“The syndicate neither serves the interests nor protects the rights
of the majority of Egypt’s journalists,” he says. “The syndicate
doesn’t care about our grievances, difficulties and daily suffering.”
Balshy says the syndicate has a membership of about 9,000
journalists nationwide, of which some 7,000 are still practicing the
profession. Another 6,000 or more journalists are not syndicate members.
The syndicate’s bylaws are the problem, he argues.
“We must change syndicate bylaws,” he says. “It is becoming increasingly difficult for journalists to apply for membership.”
He asserts that the syndicate is supposed to protect all
journalists, especially those beginning their careers and those who are
denied full-time contracts.
“It should be a syndicate for all those who practice the profession,” he says.
Balshy concedes that, given present economic hardships, it may be more difficult for journalists to acquire full-time contracts.
“Nevertheless, the syndicate should strive to protect disadvantaged
journalists, not merely those lucky enough to have full-time
contracts,” he argues.
But administrative shortcomings, financial mismanagement and other
social, economic and political factors continue to hinder the provision
of full-time contracts for full-time work, Balshy says, and may lead to
additional closures of news outlets in the near future.
With regard to the closure of Egypt Independent, the secretary of
the syndicate states, “I generally attribute the closure to the lack of
English-speaking readers in Egypt, low subscriptions, high expenses and
mismanagement on the part of Al-Masry Al-Youm.”
FOREIGN JOURNALISTS
While the average salaries of foreign journalists and Egyptians
employed in foreign-language media outlets is nearly double that of
local journalists, non-Egyptian journalists face numerous difficulties.
Foreign media personnel are not allowed membership in the
Journalists Syndicate.
Non-Egyptian journalists can only register
themselves at the state-controlled Foreign Press Association (FPA).
The FPA provides these non-Egyptians with work permits and journalist IDs, which are subject to selective renewals.
Foreign journalists who have fallen out of favor with the FPA have
been slapped with travel bans, criminal investigations and, in many
cases, are denied re-entry into Egypt. Foreign journalists also face a
rising tide of xenophobia.
Earlier this month, Dutch journalist Rena Netjes was arrested and
handed over to police, who accused her of “espionage” and “disseminating
Western culture.” She was released, but later charged with not having a
valid work permit.
Wael Tawfiq, founding member of the Independent Egyptian
Journalists’ Syndicate, says the group accepts foreigners in the
syndicate, but only as affiliates.
“They do not have the right to vote in syndicate elections nor to
nominate themselves. On the other hand, the official [Journalists]
Syndicate does not accept foreigners under any condition,” Tawfiq says.
Tawfiq says his independent syndicate claims a membership of some 600 people, nearly all of whom are Egyptian.
“We don’t demand full-time contracts as a prerequisite for
membership, only an archive of published materials in a news outlet
based in Egypt,” he says.
In what he calls an “absence of safeguards” from employers and the
official syndicate, the independent syndicate stands “for the defense of
journalists’ rights through all stages of their work,” and attempts to
protect members from punitive measures.
However, his syndicate does not have an emergency fund, nor does it provide unemployment assistance.
The official Journalists Syndicate has filed lawsuits against both
the Independent Journalists Syndicate and the Egyptian Online
Journalists Syndicate, both of which were established in 2011. The
official syndicate claims it is the sole association legally entrusted
with representing and organizing Egyptian journalists.
BLEAK OUTLOOK
Radwan says Egypt’s press freedoms and right to free expression are being “eroded” by the Muslim Brotherhood.
“Plus, we are expecting more economic problems in the media industry and in the general economy as a whole,” he says.
Radwan expects higher unemployment rates for journalists and media
employees, along with fewer independent and opposition news outlets.
Tawfiq also expects more media outlets to close, due to both the
Brotherhood’s attempts at “gagging” the media and the faltering economic
conditions throughout the country.
“We’ve seen how President Mohamed Morsy’s supporters have besieged
the [private] Media Production City. We’ve witnessed an unprecedented
number of lawsuits against critical journalists, the appointment of
regime loyalists to the top state-owned publications and channels, and
the court-ordered closures of several satellite TV channels,” says
Tawfiq.
He says he expects fewer job opportunities, lower salaries for
full-time journalists and decreased rates for freelancers in the future.
Additional English-language publications and websites are expected
to soon close. These closures will leave the state with a near monopoly
on foreign-language news publications.
*Photo by Tarek Wageeh
*Second photo courtesy of Reuters/Khaled Elfiqi
*Third photo courtesy of AFP/Mohammed Abed
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