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Why are Egypt’s TV hosts migrating to Western screens?

Bassem Youssef, known as “Egypt’s Jon Stewart,” is no longer in Egypt, as he and other personalities like him are finding freedom of speech in the West.
Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef (C) poses for a photo with the crew of his show 'al-Bernameg' after announcing its cancellation in Cairo June 2, 2014. Egypt's top TV satirist said on Monday his show had been canceled, amid speculation it was because his latest script poked fun at a presidential election won by the former army chief.Bassem Youssef, known as the "Egyptian Jon Stewart", told a news conference the Saudi-owned MBC Masr TV station had been put under more pressure "than it could handle".REUTERS/M
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Media hosts have been leaving the Egyptian and Arab screens and more are likely to leave in the future. Among the first to leave was satirist Bassem Youssef, whose show, "Al-Bernameg" ("The Program"), was canceled in 2014. The show had appeared on Saudi-owned MBC MASR.

In September 2014, famed media host Yosri Fouda called it quits for his program, "Akhir Kalam" ("The Last Word"), on the ONtv network — which also suspended "Gamea Mo’anath Salem," a television show that had been hosted by Reem Maged. After ONtv was fully acquired by Egyptian businessman Ahmed Abu Hashima, it also canceled the contract of Lebanese-British presenter Lilian Daoud in June. A few hours after she announced her show had been canceled, Egyptian security forces arrested and deported her, claiming her residency permit had expired.

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