Legal rules for media ownership and setup

According to the Law on the Regulation of Press and Media (Law No. 180 of 2018), which regulates the ownership and establishment of media outlets in Egypt, Egyptian individuals—whether natural persons or legal entities, public or private—are permitted to own media outlets and online platforms, provided that the owner is not deprived of their political rights or has been convicted of a felony or an offense involving dishonor, unless their rights have been restored. The law stipulates that media outlets must be formed as a company owned by one or more persons, with a maximum limit on the number of channels owned. Specifically, a company cannot own more than seven channels. It also requires that the authorized capital be no less than 50 million Egyptian pounds for news and general channels, 15 million pounds for radio stations, and 2.5 million pounds for digital stations. Half of this amount must be deposited in a bank under the supervision of the Central Bank before broadcasting begins. Additionally, the law mandates that company founders subscribe to at least 35% of the capital, maintaining this percentage for the five years following the license issuance. Public institutions and state media outlets are exempt from some of these requirements. The law also outlines licensing procedures, including specifying the media's objectives, category, editorial policy, and the names of directors. A content director must be Egyptian, registered with the Journalists or Media Professionals Union, and not barred from political rights. Furthermore, media institutions are legally responsible for any errors or violations of the professional standards established by the Supreme Council for Media Regulation.

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