Interviewer:AlaaElDirini

Interviewee:ProfessorFirasAlAtraqchi,AssociateChairofatthedepartmentofJournalismand
MassCommunication(JRMC).
InterviewSetting:InterviewconductedinAlAtraqchisofficeintheJRMCdepartment.
Affiliationwithinterviewee:AlAtraqchiisoneofmycurrentprofessors.
(StartofInterview)
AlaaElDirini:Hello,couldyoupleasetellmeyourname,ummtitle,areaofresidence,andage?
FirasAlAtraqchi:HimynameisFirasAlAtraqchi,IamtheAssociateChairandtheAssociate
ProfessorofPracticeinjournalismatthedepartmentofJournalismandMasscommunicationat
theAmericanUniversityinCairo.Uh,I'm45,IliveinMaadi,Cairo.
AlaaElDirini:Howhasyourpreviousexperienceinthevariousnewsoutletsshapedyourviews
onthemediainEgypt?
FirasAlAtraqchi:WellI..basicallystartedmycareerinjournalismhereinEgyptandIwent
throughthechallengedthatanybodyelsewouldgothrough,whichisreportingonissuesthat
peopledidn'twannahearabout,didn'twantpublicised.Thesocietyherehasn'tmovedforward
much,infactitmighthaveregressedsomewhatintermsofummpubliccensorship.So,weare
nottalkingaboutofficialcensorshipbutwe'retalkingaboutthepublicnotwantingtohavecertain
storiescovered,theysayyou'reruiningthereputationofEgypt.So,thatwasabigchallengeand
remainsachallenge,Ithinkforalotofbuddingjournalists.
AlaaElDirini:Bringsmetomysecondquestion,beinginEgyptforsolong,howhasjournalism
improved?Ornotimproved?
FirasAlAtraqchi:Well,Imeantherearebrightspots.Ummthefactthatthereisehhanentire
massofpeopleummtryingtocreateapublicspaceusingsocialmedia.So,whetheritsthrough
TwitterorYoutubeorummyouknowpeoplearenowturningtopodcasts,youngpeopleturning
topodcastsummsothereisthismomentumforpeopletofindwaysuhhtoexpressthemselves
andthey'reembracingallthenewtechnologies.However,ummthereisabitofagenerationgap.
So,theoldergenerationmightnotlookuponthisfavorably."Whyareyouairingourdirty
laundry?"theymightsay.Imean,thatsacommongrievanceoldergenerationsmighthave.
Whereas,youngergenerations,youknowtheymightnotbewellversedinfreedom
andlibertarianismandallthatstuff.But,theydofeelandinstincttowardsfreedomofexpression.
IthinkummwithtimetheoldmediastructurewillcrumblehereinEgypt.Imean,theytoohave
embracedtheinternetandsocialmediabutforprobablycompletelydifferentreasons.
AlaaElDirini:So,thisnewchangeorevolutioncouldbasicallyimprovejournalismandmediain
Egypt?Like,youknowbecausewhattheyouthisdoingrightnow?
FirasAlAtraqchi:Yes,butit'sgonnatakeaverylongtime.Whatyouneedtohaveisehhumm..
arealliningofofsocietalvaluesandsocietaltraditionstounderstandthatinthisdayandageyou
can'tbeasconservativeasyouwouldlike.Thewholeworldismovingforward,thewholeworld

inchanging,oldtraditionsarebeingchallengedonadailybasis.Youknow,theoldwallsof
isolationandrepressionarebeingtorndownummyouknow,IthinkEgyptianmediaitkinda
lookslikeummthey'rearelicofthe...IcancompareittoSovieteraummmediacontrol.
AlaaElDirini:Iwasgonnaaskyouaboutthat.Umm,howdoyouthinkjournalismisbeing
shapedaftertheArabSpringandthepoliticalcircumstancesthathavebeengoingoninEgypt?
FirasAlAtraqchi:WellIdon'tbelieveintheterm'ArabSpring'tobeginwith.Umm,theyou
knowalotofpeoplewereonthemove,sotospeakandsomeofthemweren'tArabs.Tocallit
ArabSpringisamisnomer.Second,whatspring?
AlaaElDirini:Youliketocallitarevolutionornoteven?
FirasAlAtraqchi:Iliketocallitthe'ArabSting'.Asineverybodythoughttheyweremovingina
certaindirectionandtherewouldbeafloweringoffreedomandinsteadtheygotstung.Like,bya
bee.So,itwaslikeanArabbeesting.Forawhilethere,probablyin2012maybeorlate2011it
lookedlikeummthemediawasgoingtoumm*pauses*rebirthitself.Ahh,inwaysthatwe
would'velovedtoseesuchasmorefreedom,lesscensorship,lessgatekeeping,andyouknow
abilitytoquestionpoliticians,todothejobthatthemediaissupposedtodoasthefourthestate.
Whichistoholdpeopleaccountableandsoon.Butthen,youknowwiththeMuslim
Brotherhood,theJune30ummuprising,whateveryouwannacallit.Umm,thechangedthat
werenecessarytomoveEgyptianmediaforward,sortofwentonthebackburner.Theywereno
longerseenasapriority.Patriotism,replacedummobjectivityummyouknow,ra!ra!ra!The
state!Becamethecallforthemediaenterprisesinthecountry.Peoplewhowould,previously
beencriticalofthewaythingsaremovingsuddenlyjumpedonboardandyouknowwere
basicallyummthecheerleadersquadforwhoeverisincontrol.So,Ithink*exhales*
thisbriefsparkofhopethatthereexistedforthemediawasahhquicklysnuffedout.
AlaaElDirini:Umm,canyougivemeonereasonwhyyouthinkthishappened?Withpeople
changingtheirstances?
FirasAlAtraqchi:Well,fear.Umm,throughouthistoryifyou'vereadMachiavelli,ifyouumm
youknowalotofummtheoriesor..Thatifyouwannakeepasocietyinline,youmakethemfear
something.Ofcoarse,youknowthefearoftheMuslimBrotherhoodislegitimate.Umm,Ifind
themtobeummoutcasts,notreallyIslamic,ummbutthatsbeyondthepoint.Umm,basically
uhhfearofwhattheMuslimBrotherhoodcoulddo,feartheMuslimBrotherhoodusurpingany
mediafreedom,tospreadtheirpropaganda.Thatbasically,ummprobablyhalfheartedly
convincedalotofmediaorganizationstostepinline,totolltheline,ummandnotreally
challengethestatusquoorthepowersthatbe. However
AlaaElDirini:Alright,thankyousomuch.
FirasAlAtraqchi:You'reverywelcomethankyou.