Egyptian State TV: Let Us Tell You What's Really Happening
The middle-aged female anchor with the short brown bob cut turned to the studio guest seated to her right, a retired major general in a gray suit, as a rolling, royal blue map of the world scrolled in the background. "You know, these young people mock us when older, wiser people tell them that there is a foreign plot against Egypt, that what is happening is not the work of Egyptians," she says.
"It's a problem with the media," the former military man replies. "There are some satellite channels — and we all know who they are — that unfortunately are trying to damage Egypt's interests," a clear reference to the Arabic channels Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera.
"So how are we supposed to get this idea to the protesters in Tahrir?," the state TV anchorwoman says earnestly, mentioning the square in central Cairo that has become the focal point of anti-government protests, now in their 12th day.
It's a question repeated throughout the night on Nile Television, as well as on another state television broadcaster, Akhbar Egypt, which has been running an image of the Egyptian flag in its top left-hand corner emblazoned with the phrase "Protect Egypt."
Egypt's many state channels initially played down the anti-government protests in the first days, but later gave them rolling coverage, albeit with a clear pro-government bias, as evidenced from the questioning, the choice of guests and footage.
The top story on last night's Nile TV news broadcast, for example, was the protest in Tahrir Square. "Tens of thousands of Egyptians demonstrated in Tahrir Square today, responding to the call for change and reform in their country," the anchorman said. While crowd estimates are always difficult to accurately ascertain, most of the foreign media, both print and television, agreed that there were hundreds of thousands in the square on Friday.
The Nile TV broadcast made no mention of the fact that many of the same protesters were demanding the immediate ouster of longtime President Hosni Mubarak, nor did it broadcast any of the many unflattering posters, banners or slogans against the president. "There were many foreigners among the protesters," the voiceover continued, before adding that Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa toured the square and "asked the protesters to return home because the authorities had received their message of reform." Moussa was in fact in the square on Friday, but did not address the crowd, according to several news sources, because he was drowned out by cheers from protesters who view him as a potential presidential candidate.
To watch Egyptian state television news is to come away with the idea that foreigners, especially the foreign media, are instigating Egypt's current political crisis and that the agenda of the young people who first demonstrated on January 25th, the first day of protests, has been hijacked by the still-proscribed Muslim Brotherhood and foreign interests.
"Dear viewers we want to bring you this footage obtained by a patriotic Egyptian in Tahrir Square," Akbar Egypt says, presenting the shaky image of a middle-aged blonde woman with long droopy earrings and a young bearded Western man with a keffiyeh around his neck holding up an English banner that reads "In solidarity with the Egyptian people."
"It's clear, dear viewers, that there are many foreigners protesting down in Tahrir. These are the people in the square," the presenter continues.
Nile TV meanwhile, has split its screen in two. On the left, a very wide shot taken from a great distance of the outskirts of Tahrir Square. Half of the image is blocked by the deep salmon building of the National Museum. It's difficult to make out individuals who just appear as faint blurs. There are banners, but it's impossible to read them. The right half of the screen is a tight shot of flag-waving, dancing pro-Mubarak supporters in the Cairo suburb of Mohandiseen. It looks like there are hundreds of people having a great time.
The anchorwoman with the bob cut is listening to a correspondent report over the phone from Tahrir Square.
"About 4,000 people gathered here after Friday prayers, most of them were talking about giving the president time to implement these reforms that he promised and that change takes time, that we should all go home now," the male correspondent says. "I'm telling you honestly that these people that I spoke to said that they had got the message that change is happening."
"So are you saying that the view of the rest of Egypt is finally reaching those inside Tahrir?" the anchorwoman asks.
"Yes, the rational view, the voice of reason."
Later, Akhbar Egypt also broadcasts a phone interview with its correspondent in the square. "Yes, I have been in Tahrir for about four days and I saw a political disaster. The Muslim Brotherhood are trying to change the agenda."
"Let's be fair," the male anchor says. "What is your proof that the Brotherhood is trying to control the youth?"
"The young people were very convinced that the concessions they obtained from the president, vice president and prime minister were sufficient, but I saw Muslim Brothers trying to change the minds of these youth."
"So you are accusing the Muslim Brothers of trying to control and steal the achievements of these youth?" the anchor says.
"President Mubarak fell because of corrupt people, he is a respectable man, doing a respectable job."
The anchor quickly cuts the correspondent off. "President Mubarak did not fall. He is still the president of Egypt and will remain so."
Egyptian state TV has come under fire from some its own employees recently for its coverage of the demonstrations. Shahira Amin, a high-profile Nile TV anchor, publicly resigned from her job earlier this week to protest its bias. "We were clearly instructed not to go (to Tahrir) and the only story we were covering were the pro-Mubarak rallies that were taking place, totally ignoring what was happening in Tahrir," she was quoted as saying in media reports.
But rather than ignore what is happening in the square, Nile TV and several other broadcasters are presenting their own version of events. A young man identified as Mustafa, an engineer who says that he was in Tahrir on January 25th has called into Nile TV. "I do not belong to any political party, although some of your viewers may think that I am from the ruling party but I am not," he says, agitated.
"I just want to say that the Jan. 25 revolutionaries still in the square are hostages. They should go to any soldier, up to any tank in and around the square and tell them 'we are the youth of Jan. 25th, the real revolutionaries, and we don't want to destroy Egypt,'" His voice is desperate, pleading. "I'll reach out to them on Facebook. There are many who want to leave but are being prevented by other groups, the Brotherhood and foreigners. I wish we could inform the military about this so they can give them safe passage out. They're hostages I tell you."
"Yes," the anchorwoman says. "Other countries are manipulating some of our youth who have weak minds to destroy their country."
She abruptly turns to the camera. "And in other news dear viewers, we want to inform you that reports that foreign journalists are being harassed are not true. As you know, they are welcome in our country. If they face dangers, they are the same dangers that every Egyptian faces.
"Now, what is in store for us on the weather front?"