Media And Political Transitions In Egypt(2010-2013)

Egypt has witnessed a number of major political transitions since the overthrow of the Mubarak regime on February 11,2011,after 18 days of the January 25th popular Revolution.The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces(SCAF)ran the country until the 2012 presidential elections which were won by Mohamed Morsi,the Muslim Brotherhood Candidate,who became the first democratically elected President.After only one year in office,however,Morsi was overthrown by the military following mass protests throughout Egypt demanding his resignation.Both social and traditional media played significant roles in shaping the political map during this period.This study discusses the role of three diverse media forms(TV talk show programs,political cartoons,and social media)in the three major Egyptian political transitions:Before and after the January 25th Revolution(January 1,2010 to February 11,2011),during the rule of the SCAF(February 11,2011 to June 30,2012)and during the Morsi era(June 30,2012 to July 3,2013),exploring their capacity in mobilizing people for or against the ruling regime.Moreover,because they form a significant part of the cultural context within which media messages have been developed,I also consider the role of cultural forms such as political jokes as expressions of opposition and protest songs as expressions of inspiration,nostalgia and solidarity.To identify the major events of media and public concern during the three major Egyptian political transitions,a total of 10795 cartoons were analyzed,published between January 2010 and July 2013 in five newspapers,Al-Ahram,Al-Wafd,Al-Masry Al-Youm,Al-Shorouk,and Al-Dostour.Discourses around these events are analyzed through popular TV talk show programs including Masr El-Nahardah(Egypt Today),Al-Ashira Masa 'an(10 p.m.),Al-Haqiqah(The Truth),Al-Berrnameg(The Show),and Masr El-Youm(Egypt today).I also consider some popular social media messages,including political jokes and protest songs,which were posted on Facebook and Twitter or aired on YouTube.The thesis is divided into three chapters.The first begins with a brief historical background of media in Egypt,including a short history of political cartoons and newspapers,radio and television,and social media.This is followed with a brief understanding of Egypt's world position,and the international influence on Egypt,including short introduction to some international media aired in Arabic.Next,I examine the most significant issues(political stagnation,domestic issues and corruption)underlying the downfall of the Mubarak regime.I also examine the role of media as a political communication tool in paving the way to,mobilizing for,and shaping the process of the revolution.This chapter shows that whilst TV was an important channel through which the regime communicated its messages to the public,TV also served as a platform for debate which stimulated opposition through a number of TV talk show programs.Newspaper cartoons and social media,in contrast,were media largely dominated by opposition voices.Therefore,no siingle form of media played a determining role in the revolution.Rather,it was interaction between a diverse range of media forms,from satellite TV and Facebook to protest songs,which coordinated action and imagination during the revolution.The second Chapter explores the media role under the rule of the SCAF,(February 11,2011 to June 30,2012).It discusses the position of the SCAF in relation to the revolution,the counter-revolution phenomenon,and ideological conflicts between the non-Islamists and Islamists.This chapter also discusses the conditions around both the March referendum and the parliamentary elections,in which the revolutionary political forces and new borm liberal parties were put to the test in competition with new Islamist parties.The chapter shows that social media was not enough to mobilize people on the street and could not compensate for lack of political experience.I also highlight the political conditions and circumstances before and during the 2012 presidential elections that influenced voters' choices.This chapter shows that both new and traditional media have played significant roles in transmitting and sharing information,attempting to shape public opinion,and mobilizing people toward certain actions.The last chapter explores the role of media during Morsi's rule(June 30,2012-July 3,2013),exploring its capacity in mobilizing people for or against the ruling regime,particularly during the major events that led to the fall of Morsi's government.These events have seen as a part of the Muslim Brotherhood's attempt to 'brotherhoodising' the state,including the declaration of an controversial new constitution.This chapter discuses media mobilization around the June 30th uprising and the circumstances in which the army intervened to overthrow the Morsi regime.This chapters shows that TV talk show programs,such as 'Al-Bernameg' and'Masr El-Youm',played an influential role in inciting public opinion against the Islamists in general,and the Muslim Brotherhood,in particular.This chapter also shows that media helped in spreading a number of influential rumors and conspiracy stories against the Muslim Brotherhood and its relation to the West.In conclusion,the effective role of the three diverse forms of media(TV talk shows programs,political cartoons,and social media)in the recent three major Egyptian political transitions is demonstrated.Egyptians creatively drew on a wide range of media forms using different cultural messages to support their political aspirations,and bring their voices to the world.However,Egypt's media proved to be a double-edged sword that disseminated information and opened the door to free criticism while at the same time spreading rumors and conspiracy theories that created an environment of uncertainty and doubts.The study concludes that in order to play a positive role in future political developments,Egyptian media must undergo a difficult but necessary process of ethical reform without the reduction of freedom of expression.