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Egypt's independent media outlets face closures

A dip in profits is pushing Egyptian media institutions to become government mouthpieces, negatively impacting their content.
Soldiers stand on an armoured personnel carrier positioned outside the state-run television station in Cairo July 6, 2013.    REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST MILITARY MEDIA) - RTX11E7B

CAIRO — Financial crises are threatening the Egyptian media, be they private satellite TV stations, national TV stations or private and national newspapers.

As a result, several popular shows have been cut short, while Modern Sports, Mehwar 2, Mehwar Drama and several religious channels have been shut down. Producers and hosts have been dismissed and salaries slashed. Private newspapers suffered the same fate, while the governmental sector represented by the Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU) incurred losses estimated at 3.6 billion Egyptian pounds (around $500 million) for the 2013-14 fiscal year. Its debts amounted to around 20 billion Egyptian pounds (around $3 billion). Several national press institutions are in financial crisis, with accumulating debt and continuous losses.

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