Egypt's upper house of parliament named new editors-in-chief of state-run newspapers, provoking criticism from journalists that the government of President Mohamed Mursi was filling the industry with Islamists and supporters of the current and former governments.
The appointments, which come the same day that the new Islamist information minister banned state-run media from interviewing Israeli commentators, can be considered "a threat to the independence of the profession," Adel Iskandar, professor of media at Georgetown University, said by e-mail from Canada today.
"This is a continuation of the power-sharing agreement that seems to permeate much of Egyptian politics today—between the Muslim Brotherhood and a nebulous amalgam of 'foloul' and SCAF-loyalists," Iskander said, referring to the Egyptian term for "remants" of the old regime and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which handed power to Mursi in June.
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