SCMR tightens grip over Ramadan’s improper ads

CAIRO – 16 April 2018: "Any advertisement that will disrupt the Egyptian community’s values during the holy month of Ramadan will be banned," Ahmed Selim, secretary-general of the Egyptian Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR), told Egypt Today on Monday.

He added that the new ads, expected to be aired during the holy month, should have valuable content and represent a respectful image of Egypt’s social community. He also stressed that the council is going to send a list of the Islamic Scholar’s names authorized to issue fatwas (Islamic decrees) through media outlets during the holy month.

Media Syndicate-deputy Siham Saleh told Egypt Today on Monday that another committee has been formed to monitor the new programs expected to be aired during Ramadan. Saleh urged television hosts to commit to the declared charter of honor. She added that no one will appear on the screens without being a recognized member of the Media Syndicate.

On March 29, a protocol was signed between the Fund for the Fight Against Addiction and Egypt's Supreme Council for Media Regulation to decrease addiction and smoking scenes in Ramadan series, director of the fund Amr Osman said.

This was during a meeting convened by the WHO expert committee to set an international strategy to fight promotion for tobacco products; assistant to the Minister of Social Solidarity Osman participated in the meeting.

The meeting, held in India, tackled the effects of tobacco and advertising its use on social media.

In September 2017, Ghada Wali signed a cooperation protocol with Makram Mohamed Ahmed, head of SCMR, to counter the misuse of substance abuse and addiction in the media.

Wali said in statements following the signing that the protocol aims to take all the necessary steps to activate an ethical code relating to the treatment of substance abuse and addiction. Those codes were decided in 2015 under the patronage of President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi.

"A total of 5,000 scenes featuring smoking and drug abuse have been aired in TV series in the last three years during the holy month of Ramadan," Wali said, pointing out that this is considered a serious attack against the country.

She stated that the Ministry of Social Solidarity recorded 2,428 scenes of smoking and drug abuse in the Egyptian drama aired during Ramadan 2017, in a total of 56 hours and 33 minutes.