On 16 February 2020, media practitioners woke-up to the much-anticipated news of the passing of the Media and Press Regulations (the “Regulations”) one year later than scheduled, triggering the six-month-period for media licensees to comply with Law No. 180/2018 on Media and Press Regulation (the “Law”) or face the consequences.
The Law, which revamped the entire media and press licensing regime causing a few eyebrows to frown among leading technology companies and media outlets, imposed a new regime regulating press activities, media outlets, the licensing of satellite news gathering (“SNG”) devices, and for the first time, activity on social media. Yes, being a Facebook or Instagram influencer will come at a price!
Now all media outlets and websites will need prior approvals from the Supreme Council for Media Regulation (“SCMR”) to operate in Egypt; and media operations will require licenses whose costs will range between EGP 50,000 (website license) and EGP 250,000 (media outlet license).
The Regulations codify the longstanding practice of imposing licensing requirements on the activity of recording or filming in public for the purpose of uploading content to a media platform; and prohibit the transfer of any content, whether recorded or live, from Egypt to a media platform or website located overseas absent a license.
Finally, the Regulations explicitly govern the possession, installment, or operation of satellite broadcasting or webcasting equipment, such as SNGs and Live View equipment. Previously, the use of these technologies was broadly covered by the Telecommunications Regulation Law, although in practice, it was the Egyptian Radio and Television Union (now the National Medial Authority) and not the telecommunications regulator that licensed the use of SNGs.
Failing to comply with the Law and Regulations will expose offenders to severe fines that can reach up to EGP 3,000,000 for creating and operating a website without a license. Penalties also include imprisonment for at least one year and/or a fine of up to EGP 500,000 for possessing unlicensed broadcasting equipment.
Those licensed under earlier media laws have until mid-August 2020 to comply with the new Law and Regulations.
For further information feel free to contact:
Tarek Badawy, Partner
Rehan El-Bashary, Managing Associate
Sarah Kamel, Associate
