Dr. Fathi Shehabeddin, Chairman of the Shura Council’s committee on Information, Culture and Information in an interview to the magazine ‘Al-Ahram Al Arabi’ said that the decision to close the national newspapers can be re-considered if the press institutions are able to go back to profit within the next three months.
According to the committee’s report, Shehabeddin gave editors a time period of 3 months to increase the sales figures and turn their business profitable. “Newspapers should change their structure and must prove profitable by either adopting an online edition or by coming up with supplements that would boost sales. If all these attempts turn out to be unsuccessful, then the establishment will be closed but none of its employees will be affected as they are all hired by the parent company,” said Shehabeddin. He also said that the decision to close or keep the newspapers lies with the Board of Directors of the Shura Council.
In Egypt there are three major newspaper institutions, including Al Ahram, Today’s News and Republic. Other major publishers include the House of Knowledge, Dar Al Hilal and the House of the People.
