How Nile Radio Production sent shockwaves through Cairo
Three years ago, in July 2003, Cairo witnessed a radio revival. After decades of declining “listenership, Egyptians were pleasantly surprised when Nile Radio Production (NRP) unleashed two new FM stations, a welcome breath of fresh air in a stale industry.
Radio’s rebirth is one of the leading feats transforming the local media scene. According to Ahmed Fahmy, network director programmer for Nile Radio Production, “Us being on air is the biggest indicator that these reforms are happening . we are proof that it is not just talk, he says.
Both channels have well-shaped programming with hit music and popular talk shows. Negoom FM (Arabic 100.6) and Nile FM (English 104.2) have given Egyptians access to the latest music, entertainment and sports news.
The two channels are not linked except by ownership and neighboring offices. Each is individually labeled and recognized for its own style.
Negoom FM is in Arabic and reaches at least 90 percent of Cairo’s population. Marwan Kadry, one of Negoom’s presenters who hosts the 4:00 p.m. show during the “drive home, says that the whole radio culture in Egypt has changed because of the channel. “Radio used to be tied to the older people, parents and grandparents, but we changed that.
He adds that their commercial angle and wide audience even attracts celebrities to come on the radio for publicity, though prior to NRP they had no interest.
Although Negoom started out with a music format, and music is still the core of the station, it is now trying to integrate talk shows as well. They already have several talk shows that are extremely popular, like a late night show about love and relationships and another about social issues with the witty Ahmed El-Assily.
They also try to be relevant to their audience’s real lives. They send reporters into the field, asking people on the street for their opinions on certain topics. Fahmy explains that although they are a bit risqué in their social discussion and try to be as open as possible, they still conform to the three “no-nos : sex, religion and politics. “We do not want to fall into a pitfall of having problems with higher authorities, he explains.
Negoom FM has managed to lure both listeners and advertising from the government-run radio channels, forcing them to reevaluate their own practices. Nada Mohamed, one of the reporters, agrees. She feels that NRP has improved the government-run radio stations as they are now starting to copy the Negoom FM format.
Nile FM has also made a considerable impact, although it is a more niche station, targeting the 6-8 million foreigners and Egyptians who speak English.
“Although we are only three years old, this is only the beginning of a very exciting journey that has already revolutionized the media scene in Egypt. And this is only the beginning, says Simon Ramsden, program director of Nile FM and a familiar voice to any listener who is stuck in traffic between 4:00 and 7:00 pm.
Ramsden moved to Egypt from Lebanon, where he was a presenter for Radio One, as well as the host of a weekly television program. He was involved from the very beginning and is the only remaining member from the original team in 2003.
Expatriates make up 80 percent of the Nile FM team, mostly from the UK because when they first launched they had no time to train an Egyptian staff that they felt were unfamiliar with the modern format they were planning to create.
Although the station is based on a British and American programming format, it has its own local flavor. The presenters are both Egyptian are British, “each having there personal style with Nile FM feel … I think we have a winning formula that cuts into peoples mind and encourages them to participate, says Ramsden.
Rob Tovy, presenter of the request show, says he feels working at Nile FM is a lot freer than in the UK, where he previously worked. “Here, you go with the flow, enjoy, talk as much as you want without being timed (within the program) . It’s great, he says.
Luay Attia, aka Lu, was the first Egyptian to join the Nile FM team, first co-hosting two shows then launching his own show: the very popular “Flashback Café, featuring oldies from the 50s to the early 90s.
He compares Nile FM to using a cell phone. “You didn’t need it before [it was launched], but after you get used to it, [the listeners] can’t live without it, he says.
Whether you prefer to listen to English or Arabic radio, the NRP team have managed to captivate its listeners in the city and provide us all with engaging entertainment and, for the most part, made driving during rush hour traffic a lot more pleasant.
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