SCMR issues new regulations on T.V. programs

CAIRO – 7 September 2019: Egypt’s Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR) issued new regulations regarding talk shows, sports and religions T.V. programs.

As per the newly-made regulations which published on Thursday at the official gazette Al-Waqa’e Al-Masryia to come into force, a talk show or T.V. program should not run for more than two hours, including the time fixed for the commercial ads.

The regulations have been reviewed by the State Council, which tasked with considering the draft laws before being enacted.

Regarding religious T.V. programs, the SCMR asked for excluding any illegible guests or scholars to prevent possible hatred speech or discrimination attitudes.

A T.V. host should be a member at the Syndicate of Media Practitioners, according to the laid rules. On August 23, 2019, controversial T.V. host Reham Saeed was suspended by Syndicate for humiliating obese people in her talk show and for not being a member at the syndicate.

The editor-in-chief shall be responsible for reviewing the media items before broadcasting, for being unbiased.

The anchorperson should announce his resources and coordinate with the state to ensure the right of reply, the regulations stipulate.

Women-related issues
Women-related programs should be covered fairly, tackling affairs of women at all ages and from different social brackets. Like men, women should be asked for their opinions in the social causes.

Women-issue coverage should be in depth and reflect the actual statistics to avoid misleading. Identities of women and girls survived from sexual abuse shall not be revealed without taking a written approval from them or their relatives.

Media should through T.V. series and movies fight the stigma and social misconception on house workers, unmarried women, and divorcees. Movies and Series should not exaggerate the use of verbal, moral, and physical violence to which women are subjected.

Appearance of women in movies and drama should reflect their social, political and cultural roles.