The Supreme Council for Press decided to task the heads of the boards of directors of national newspapers with continuing in their positions to manage affairs until the press and media legislation is approved, so that the National Press Authority can be formed to make a decision on this matter. The term of the appointed individuals was scheduled to end on January 2nd.
Dr. Nagwa Kamel, a member of the Council, stated in comments following the end of the meeting held this evening at the National Distribution Company, that there was no alternative to this decision, which was taken within the framework of the law. It is expected that the press and media legislation will be approved, and accordingly, new bodies will be formed to regulate the work of the press and media, including the National Press Authority, which will have the right to choose the heads of the boards of directors of national newspapers. Therefore, it is not possible to undermine the role of these bodies by appointing new individuals for a period that may not exceed three months, and thus the Council made the decision.
For his part, Dr. Hassan Emad Makawi, a member of the Council and a professor at the Faculty of Media, said that it is not possible to leave the institutions in a state of administrative and financial vacuum, so the decision was necessary and inevitable until the press and media legislation is approved and the National Press Authority is formed.
Makawi explained that the decision was taken based on Decree-Law No. 166 of 2013, which transferred the powers of the Shura Council to the Supreme Council for Press, and appointed the heads of the boards of directors of newspapers for a single two-year term, ending on January 2nd.
He added that some newspapers had requested the issuance of licenses, and all those who requested a license and met the requirements were approved, as well as those who requested to change the publication frequency from monthly to weekly.