Published: 6 December 2011
Region: MENA
The Media Diversity Institute (MDI) commenced monitoring of media coverage of diversity in Egypt on 2 November 2011, as part of the project ‘Rebuilding Post-Revolution Egyptian Media: Embracing Free Expression, Diversity and Inclusiveness’.
The monitoring component of the project aims at monitoring diversity within the Egyptian media during a 20 month period. Four reports will be generated, the first delivered in January 2012. Since Egypt’s first parliamentary elections are the main landmark event during the span of the first report period, the report will focus on diversity in the media as related to the coverage of the elections.
The monitors are monitoring both National TV programmes that broadcast in the evening as well as news bulletins and two popular programmes broadcast on two private TV channels. In addition they will monitor 4 daily newspapers for their coverage of diversity. Coverage of ethnic minorities, refugees, women, the disabled, elderly, children and religious minorities will be monitored.
The methodology will address diversity both in terms of the people featured in the media as well as the topics mentioned/discussed. The research will incorporate both a quantitative content analysis methodology, and a qualitative discourse analysis methodology to arrive at a scientific look at the diversity of Egyptian media coverage. Dr Rasha Abdulla from the American University of Cairo has developed the monitoring methodology and is leading the research.
The monitoring is part of a 2 year project ‘Rebuilding Post-Revolution Egyptian Media: Embracing Free Expression, Diversity and Inclusiveness’ funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).
For more information contact misr@media-diversity.org
