By Hossam el-Hamalawy
In one of the infamous video leaks, then defence minister Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was listening to complaints from his mid- and senior-ranking officers in a closed meeting a few months before the July 2013 military coup. One officer bitterly spoke of how the army had long been shielded from public criticism in the media, but the 2011 revolution changed everything. Sisi quickly assured his officers that he was working on creating ‘media arms’ to bring the situation under control, but warned him this would take some time. His remarks reflected so much interest in details, as minute as admitting that he chose the official military spokesperson to be ‘good-looking’ to ‘attract women’. In the following years, Sisi and the repressive apparatus worked methodically to bring the entire media establishment under their control, micromanaging the news industry, drama productions and advertisements to ensure their ideological domination over society.
Maher Hamoud, a veteran Egyptian economist, journalist and editor, takes us on a comprehensive journey to explain how Sisi’s military regime extended its grip on thought production in the country. In his book, he argues that maintaining the hegemonic dominance of the country’s military and business elites has required an aggressive pursuit of ownership and management of the different sectors of the private ideological apparatus, most importantly following the 2011 revolution and the ensuing 2013 coup.
Guided by the theoretical framework of the critical political economy, Hamoud’s meticulous analysis, drawing on his extensive experience in the media industry, provides a wealth of valuable insights and sources. He interviews journalists, editors, writers and other key figures in the industry, offering a comprehensive understanding of the situation.
This article is published by the journal of Africa.