Egyptian anchorman in hot water over inaccurate recordings

CAIRO – 22 October 2017: Egyptian anchorman Ahmed Moussa is in hot waters over 'inaccurate' recordings over the clashes that took place between the police forces and militants in an oasis (Wahat) in Giza governorate.

Moussa has aired on his TV show on Sada El-Balad a recording of an unidentified person narrating alleged details of the Giza clashes. The recording raised controversy on social media prompting the Media Syndicate to hold an immediate meeting to investigate the incident.

Ahmed Moussa, who is a controversial TV host at Sada Al-Balad Satellite channel, may be suspended after the Media Syndicate discusses the incident in the meeting that will be held on Sunday.

The inaccurate details that aired on Moussa’s show are a violation to basic media regulations that are based on the reliability of a source; especially when concerned with issues relating to National Security, the Head of Media Syndicate Tarek Saadah stated.
Saadah also said that these recordings serve to demolish Egypt, not build it.

On the other hand, Chairperson of Supreme Council for Media Regulation Makram Mohamed Ahmed revealed on Saturday that the Media Syndicate does not have the right to suspend any program; stressing that the Supreme Council regularly follows what is shown on websites and TV programs.

The council has not been notified to carry out any investigations against Moussa about these recordings, and if any complaint has been made the council will thoroughly investigate it, he noted.

“The statement issued by the Ministry of Interior has been delayed causing many violations in social media and news website;” adding that the absence of basic information contributed in the circulation of fake news. That, however, should not excuse the media from resorting to official statements.

The recordings circulated by some media outlets about the Giza shootout are false and baseless, according to a statement released late Saturday by the Ministry of Interior's security media center.

The Ministry of Interior urged newspapers and the mass media to check the accuracy of news with official sources from the ministry; pointing out that spreading such recordings confuses public opinion and reflects the lack of responsibility in media.

The ministry also demanded that mass media agencies ignore those recordings and refrain from relying on them as sources of information.

Seventeen security personnel were killed and 15 others were injured during a raid on a militant hideout near the Giza-Al Wahat Road in the Giza governorate. According to security sources, the police forces are still deployed around the area to observe terrorist elements. The desert road was closed from both directions with a number of checkpoints planted there to besiege any fleeing terrorists.