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National Media Authority

The National Media Authority, formerly known as Egyptian State Broadcasting (ESU; ), is the state and public broadcaster of Egypt, operated by the Egyptian government.[1][2] It is a member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ABSU).[3][4]

History

Egyptian Radio began broadcasting on 31 May 1934 in agreement with the Marconi Company. The General Manager of the station for the period was Said Basha Lotfi who presided over the station from May 1934 to December 1947. In December 1947, the contract with Marconi was suspended in favour of an Egyptian national broadcasting station. The station is known also for its call "This is Cairo". It is considered the "First Program" of the ERTU.

Later on three main new radio channels were added, namely the pan-Arab Voice of the Arabs in 1953, Egyptian Radio's Second Programme in 1957, and the pan-Arab Middle East Radio in 1964. All four stations broadcast on high powered medium wave transmitters covering most of the Middle East and North and East Africa. Egyptian television began broadcasting six hours daily on 21 July 1960, with a state-run channel that held a monopoly on terrestrial broadcasts. In 1971,[5] a new decree established the Arab Radio and Television Union, and created four distinct sectors: radio, television, engineering, and finance, each of which had a chairman who reported directly to the minister of information. The name of the Union was changed to the Egyptian Radio and Television Union, the name by which it is still known. Today, its total daily broadcast time on its various channels amounts to 490 hours.

Already in 1950 its predecessor, the Egyptian State Broadcasting, was one of the founding members of the European Broadcasting Union in 1950. After the admittance of the Israel Broadcasting Service in 1958, it cancelled its active memberships, as did the Syrian Broadcasting Services. It was readmitted as an active member on 1 January 1985.

Under previous secularist regimes, women employees wearing hijabs were not allowed on-screen until 2 September 2012, following the inauguration of the Morsi government.[6][7][8]

Services and subsidiaries

The NMA is an Egyptian SOE that runs a large spectrum of radio, television and satellite channels, in addition to television and film production facilities. It does this directly as well as through a host of companies that include:[1]

Radio

General stations

  • General Programme Radio or Egyptian Radio – established in 1934 as the main channel of the network
  • Voice of the Arabs – established in 1953 as a pan-Arab station
  • Second Program – established in 1957 (now replaced and converted into the Cultural Radio)
  • Middle East Radio – established in 1964 as a pan-Arab station
  • European Program Radio – broadcasting in English, French, Greek, Italian and German

Specialized (thematic) stations

  • Cultural Radio – replaced the Second Program
  • Youth and Sports Radio – established in 1975
  • Radio Greater Cairo – established in 1981
  • Songs Radio – established in 2000
  • News and Music Radio
  • Radio Masr or or Egypt Radio – established in 2009
  • Al Qur'an al Karim Radio – Muslim religious broadcasting
  • Educational Radio
  • Voice of Palestine

Regional programming radio stations

  • North of Saaeed Radio
  • Nile Valley Radio
  • Middle Delta Radio
  • Radio Alexandria

International stations

  • Radio Cairo (International) including Radio Cairo World Service 1 to 7 (various channels, shortwave and satellite)

General stations

  • General Programme Radio or Egyptian Radio – established in 1934 as the main channel of the network
  • Voice of the Arabs – established in 1953 as a pan-Arab station
  • Second Program – established in 1957 (now replaced and converted into the Cultural Radio)
  • Middle East Radio – established in 1964 as a pan-Arab station
  • European Program Radio – broadcasting in English, French, Greek, Italian and German

Specialized (thematic) stations

  • Cultural Radio – replaced the Second Program
  • Youth and Sports Radio – established in 1975
  • Radio Greater Cairo – established in 1981
  • Songs Radio – established in 2000
  • News and Music Radio
  • Radio Masr or or Egypt Radio – established in 2009
  • Al Qur'an al Karim Radio – Muslim religious broadcasting
  • Educational Radio
  • Voice of Palestine

Regional programming radio stations

  • North of Saaeed Radio
  • Nile Valley Radio
  • Middle Delta Radio
  • Radio Alexandria

International stations

  • Radio Cairo (International) including Radio Cairo World Service 1 to 7 (various channels, shortwave and satellite)

Television

National

  • ERTU 1 – Generalist and informative programming. It began its broadcasts in 1960.
  • ERTU 2 – focused on fiction, entertainment and current affairs programming, launched in 1961.
  • Al Masriya – Channel aimed at the Egyptian diaspora, available since 1990.

Regional

There are six state-owned broadcast and satellite channels in Egypt:

As of 2005, the Cairo frequencies for the two ERTU channels, the two Nile TV channels and the networks for the governorates were as follows: ERTU 1 channel 5; ERTU 2 channel 9; ERTU 3 channel 7; ERTU 4 channel 40; ERTU 5 channel 46; ERTU 6 channel 43; ERTU 7 channel 34; ERTU 8 channel 26; Nile TV channel 22; Nile News channel 38.[9][10]

  • Six regional channels, each providing specialized services for a number of governorates. These are grouped under the Al Mahrousa Television Network (شبكة تليفزيون المحروسة):
  • Cairo Channel (Channel 3): broadcasting from Cairo and covering Greater Cairo governorates, i.e. Cairo, Giza, and Qalioubia.
  • Canal Channel (Channel 4): broadcasting from Ismailia and covering Suez Canal governorates, i.e. Ismailia, Suez, and Port Said.
  • Alexandria Channel (Channel 5): broadcasting from Alexandria and covering Alexandria, Al Buhayrah, and parts of Matrouh.
  • Delta Channel (Channel 6): broadcasting from Tanta and covering Central Delta governorates, i.e. Al Gharbiyah, Al Minufiyah, Ad Daqahliyah, Kafr ash Shaykh, and Dimyat.
  • Upper Channel (Channel 7): broadcasting from Minya and covering Northern Upper Egypt governorates, i.e. Minya, El-Fayoum, Beni Suef, and Asiut.
  • Thebes Channel (Channel 8): broadcasting from Aswan and covering Southern Upper Egypt governorates, i.e. Suhag, Qena, Al Uqsur, and Aswan.

National

  • ERTU 1 – Generalist and informative programming. It began its broadcasts in 1960.
  • ERTU 2 – focused on fiction, entertainment and current affairs programming, launched in 1961.
  • Al Masriya – Channel aimed at the Egyptian diaspora, available since 1990.

Regional

There are six state-owned broadcast and satellite channels in Egypt:

As of 2005, the Cairo frequencies for the two ERTU channels, the two Nile TV channels and the networks for the governorates were as follows: ERTU 1 channel 5; ERTU 2 channel 9; ERTU 3 channel 7; ERTU 4 channel 40; ERTU 5 channel 46; ERTU 6 channel 43; ERTU 7 channel 34; ERTU 8 channel 26; Nile TV channel 22; Nile News channel 38.[9][10]

  • Six regional channels, each providing specialized services for a number of governorates. These are grouped under the Al Mahrousa Television Network (شبكة تليفزيون المحروسة):
  • Cairo Channel (Channel 3): broadcasting from Cairo and covering Greater Cairo governorates, i.e. Cairo, Giza, and Qalioubia.
  • Canal Channel (Channel 4): broadcasting from Ismailia and covering Suez Canal governorates, i.e. Ismailia, Suez, and Port Said.
  • Alexandria Channel (Channel 5): broadcasting from Alexandria and covering Alexandria, Al Buhayrah, and parts of Matrouh.
  • Delta Channel (Channel 6): broadcasting from Tanta and covering Central Delta governorates, i.e. Al Gharbiyah, Al Minufiyah, Ad Daqahliyah, Kafr ash Shaykh, and Dimyat.
  • Upper Channel (Channel 7): broadcasting from Minya and covering Northern Upper Egypt governorates, i.e. Minya, El-Fayoum, Beni Suef, and Asiut.
  • Thebes Channel (Channel 8): broadcasting from Aswan and covering Southern Upper Egypt governorates, i.e. Suhag, Qena, Al Uqsur, and Aswan.

Nile Television Network

Nilesat allowed for the launch of several specialized TV channels in addition to Egyptian Satellite Channel (ESC) and Nile TV. All are owned by the Egyptian state.

Specialized channels include:

  • Nile News
  • Nile Culture channel[11]
  • Nile Comedy channel[12]
  • Nile Drama channel,[13] specialized in Drama, mainly movies and TV series.
  • Nile Cinema channel,[14] specialized in classic and old movies and started in 2008.
  • Nile Educational channels,[15] several channels for primary, preparatory, secondary, medical and language education.
  • Nile Family channel[16]
  • Nile Sports channel[17]
  • Nile Life channel,[18] specialized in various forms of entertainment mainly concerts, music videos, contests and some talk shows.
  • Tanweer channel[19]

See also

  • List of radio stations in Egypt

External links

References

  1. عن الهيئة www.maspero.eg, retrieved 2023-12-10^
  2. Egypt’s National Media Authority Launches Multilingual Broadcasting Initiative Broadcast Media Africa, 2025-08-29, retrieved 2026-03-11^
  3. Egypt National Media Authority forms advisory council of experts, academics - Society - Egypt Ahram Online, retrieved 2026-03-11^
  4. Egypt’s National Media Authority returns to scripted TV ahead of Ramadan 2026 - Screens - Arts & Culture Ahram Online, retrieved 2026-03-11^
  5. Hussein Amin. Strengthening the Rule of Law and Integrity in the Arab World Arab Center for the Development of the Rule of Law and Integrity, retrieved 5 October 2014^
  6. Egypt state TV lifts ban on veiled presenters Al Jazeera, 2012-09-03, retrieved 2024-05-30^
  7. Scott Sayare. Egypt Abuzz as Newsreader on State TV Wears Hijab The New York Times, 2012-09-03, retrieved 2024-05-30^
  8. Hanaa Awny. Wearing the Hijab on Egyptian TV New Lines Magazine, 2024-01-31, retrieved 2024-05-30^
  9. 2005 World Radio and Television Handbook^
  10. National Media Authority egypt.mom-rsf.org, retrieved 2026-03-11^
  11. Untitled Document retrieved 2011-05-22^
  12. http://www.ertu.org/nile_chan/NL_comedy.html^
  13. Untitled Document retrieved 2011-05-22^
  14. Untitled Document retrieved 2011-05-22^
  15. Untitled Document retrieved 2011-05-22^
  16. Untitled Document retrieved 2011-05-22^
  17. Untitled Document retrieved 2011-05-22^
  18. Untitled Document retrieved 2011-05-22^
  19. Untitled Document retrieved 2011-05-22^