National Media Authority (NMA)
The National Media Authority (NMA) was established in 2014 as part of a sweeping overhaul of Egypt’s state media landscape, replacing the long-standing Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU), which had served as the country’s state broadcaster since 1954. Tasked with overseeing Egypt’s state-run television and radio networks—previously operated under ERTU—the NMA also controls several key media infrastructure assets, including Egyptian Media Production City (which leases satellite broadcasting facilities) and NileSat, the national satellite operator responsible for broadcasting distribution.
In the first half of 2025, Chairman Ahmed al‑Moslemany unveiled the “Maspero Platform”, an integrated digital media portal designed to centralise state radio, television, and on-demand services—stepping into Egypt’s competitive digital content space
Media assets
Television: National- Channel 1, Channel 2, Channel Egypt
Regional- Cairo Channel, Canal Channel, Alexandria Channel, Delta Channel, Upper Channel, Thebes Channel; Nile TV satellite chain, Nile TV International, Nile Sport
Radio: National- General Programme, Voice of the Arabs, Middle East Radio, European Program Radio, Cultural Radio, Youth and Spots Radio, Radio Greater Cairo, Songs Radio, News & Music Radio, Radio Masr, Al Qur’an al Karim Radio, Educational Radio, Voice of Palestine
Regional- North of Saaeed Radio, Nile Valley Radio, Middle Delta Radio, Radio Alexandria
International- Radio Cairo International, Radio Cairo World Service
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
The NMA was formalized through Law No. 178 of 2018, which delineated its responsibilities and structure, following Egypt’s 2014 constitutional reform. As a public administrative body, the NMA is underpinned by a governance framework that effectively places it under strong executive control.
The President of the Republic appoints one-third of the Authority’s nine board members directly. The remaining members are nominated by various state and semi-state institutions, including the Ministry of Finance, Cabinet, telecom regulator, Parliament, Press Syndicate, and the Union of Print and Advertising Professionals—each nominating one representative.
While this appointment structure provides a veneer of multi-institutional involvement, it ensures that the executive branch retains predominant influence over the Authority’s governance.
As of November 2024, Ahmed al‑Moslemany (aka Ahmed El‑Moslemany) replaced Hussein Zein as head of the NMA, following a presidential decree reshaping Egypt’s media governance landscape. Al‑Moslemany is an Egyptian journalist, political analyst, and television presenter known for his close ties to state institutions. He previously served as a presidential media adviser.
Source of funding and budget
The NMA is heavily reliant on public subsidies, with the state treasury contributing the highest share of its financing. According to the 2022/2023 Egyptian national budget, the Authority received a total allocation of EGP 24.9 billion (approximately USD 805 million), of which EGP 18.4 billion (USD 595 million) came directly from state coffers.
In addition to direct budgetary support, the NMA collects income from the car radio tax—a legacy levy imposed on all vehicles equipped with radio receivers. However, according to Egyptian media experts consulted in May 2024, state funding consistently accounts for over 75% of the NMA’s annual financial intake, underlining its deep dependency on government support.
Editorial independence
Since its inception, the NMA—like its predecessor ERTU—has operated under firm government editorial control. Legislative changes introduced in recent years have further tightened state oversight, granting authorities more leeway to manage and censor public media content. These reforms, widely criticised by domestic and international observers, have facilitated a broader consolidation of media control in the hands of the executive.
To date, no domestic law guarantees the editorial independence of the NMA or the outlets under its remit. On the contrary, internal editorial processes are widely believed to be closely supervised to ensure alignment with the government’s political and ideological narrative. Journalists and media experts interviewed for this report in 2024 and again in March 2025 consistently pointed to an escalation in self-censorship and content filtering practices across NMA platforms.
There is no independent oversight body to monitor or evaluate the Authority’s editorial practices, nor are there any transparency mechanisms through which the public can scrutinise its output or strategic decisions.
July 2025