The Supreme Media Council, headed by Makram Ahmed, issued on Thursday a list of restrictions to be followed by governmental and private print and broadcast media outlets.
The regulation aims to ensure that press and TV outlets should adhere to the ethics of the profession and maintain copyrights related to their content, rules, and standards governing the performance of journalism.
The council further warned media and press outlets to not publish or report any news without providing its sources or ensuring its validity.
It further imposed a new regulation on satellite channels’ rental or import of satellite news gathering (SNG) and other communication equipment, which included that satellite channels operating inside the country can no longer rent or import such equipment except through the Media Production City, the National Media Authority, and ANA company, otherwise they will be facing legal action.
The SNG is the use of mobile communication equipment for the purpose of worldwide newscasting. Mobile units are usually vans equipped with advanced, two-way audio and video transmitters and receivers, using dish antennas that can be aimed at geostationary satellites.
The list also focused on women’s representation in media, stressing on changing the negative stereotype spread about the housewife, or unmarried and divorced females in society.
It warned of not repeating the display of explicit scenes of verbal, moral, and physical violence to which women are exposed to in films or in any media content in general and avoiding using females as a sex symbols to attract more viewers in advertising,
The council has also set a time of a maximum of two hours for talk shows including advertising and only three breaks during the episode. The council additionally warned of hosting unacknowledged guests.
