Egyptian Media Behaviour Note Ahead of Constitutional Referendum

Egyptian government terrestrial and satellite TV channels focused in its programmes on Thursday 22 March, Friday 23 March and Saturday 24 March on urging Egyptians to go to the polls next Monday 26 March to vote in the referendum on constitutional amendments.

Egyptian Channel 1 TV, Channel 2 TV, Nile News TV and satellite channel TV broadcast advertisements calling upon citizens to “have a share in shaping the future of Egypt” by going to ballot boxes. Egyptian TV channels also showed songs stressing national feelings and love of the country. Advertisements and songs were shown all day in programmes during breaks.

Meanwhile, Egyptian Channel 1 TV broadcast, on Thursday, an episode of the weekly programme “Viewpoint” that interviewed senior members and officials of the ruling National Democratic Party, NDP, who indicated the need for the people to go to ballot boxes. The guests tried to explain the new constitutional amendments stressing that Article 179 of the constitution regarding a new law on fighting terrorism, does not violate freedoms. They also affirmed that Article 179 actually protects the interests of the people.

On Friday, and contrary to its daily schedule, Egyptian Channel 2 TV broadcast a special episode of the programme “The house is yours”, which is only shown five days a week from Saturday to Wednesday. The programme also interviewed another group of NDP officials who spoke about the importance of endorsing the new constitutional amendments and said that “these amendments consolidate democracy in Egypt” and guarantee a “better future” for citizens. They criticized those who call for boycotting the referendum indicating that all people should take part and voice their opinions.

At the same time, the Egyptian satellite channel TV broadcast a documentary on terrorism, the 11 September 2001 events in the USA and anti-terror laws.

In its daily programme “Good morning Egypt”, Egyptian Channel 1 TV and satellite channel TV interviewed senior NDP officials to talk about the amendments. On Saturday 24 March, the programme interviewed the deputy chief of the Legislative Committee of the People’s Assembly who urged Egyptians to go to the polls and to say yes to the new constitutional amendments. He asserted that no member of parliament can endorse an article that stifles people’s freedoms.

On Saturday 24 March, Egyptian Channel 1 broadcast a live programme by the name of “Dialogue of the constitution”, where Husam Badrawi, member of the Policies Secretariat of NDP urged the people to go to the polls.

Furthermore, the preacher of the Friday prayers spoke in his sermon on Friday 23 March, which was shown on Egyptian TV, about the forthcoming referendum and affirmed that it was a religious duty for Muslims to vote stressing that “it is against the instructions of Islam to suppress one’s testimony to what he knows about something”.

There was no representation of opposition leaders in the above programmes, as guests of the programmes only referred to “wrong stances of the opposition”.

All Egyptian terrestrial and satellite TV channels are carrying a round logo with the words “Modernization of the constitution of Egypt”.

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