Abstract
This article questions the role of the media in times of political transformation. In doing so, it draws on theories on the interconnectedness of the different fields of society to explain the sets of roles that media outlets and journalists adopt during phases of transition. Before 2011, the Egyptian media mostly acted as collaborators of the ruling regime and rarely as an agent of change. Journalists took over the latter role more often following the advent of privately-owned media outlets, thus helping to pave the way for the events of the so-called Arab Spring. This case study focuses on the development of the online news portal <em>Mada Masr</em> and therefore traces the development of two newsrooms. Starting as the English edition of a privately-owned Arabic newspaper in 2009 and changing its status to an independent news outlet in 2013, <em>Mada Masr</em> is one of the few voices which still openly criticise the Egyptian government. Founded in a time of political turmoil and struggling against an increasingly authoritarian environment, the outlet implements innovative ways of producing content, securing funding, and reaching out to its readers. A group of young Egyptian and international journalists make use of new spaces for expression that have opened through the global changes in communication infrastructure while struggling with frequent attacks by representatives of the ruling regime. As such, <em>Mada Masr</em> is a role model for small and regime-critical media outlets.
Highlights
The development of the Egyptian media scene reflects the political power struggles in Egypt since long before the so‐called Arab Spring
This theory‐informed case study builds on a combi‐ nation of different materials, including primary sources such as newsroom observation, interviews conducted with members of the editorial team, and monitoring of the content of the analysed publications as well as sec‐ ondary sources such as research or journalistic reports
One difficulty for transforming media systems lies in the heritage of ingrained organisational structures and professional practices and values; they shape its inner workings and the power relations that connect it to other institutions and frame the outcome of all transforma‐ tive efforts (Downing, 1996, p. 203)
Summary
Conducting an analysis of its agency aims to outline what tools and strategies the news outlet uses to defy power structures, resist and cope with threats by security forces, and survive despite the hostile conditions created by the oppressive politi‐ cal regime This theory‐informed case study builds on a combi‐ nation of different materials, including primary sources such as newsroom observation, interviews conducted with members of the editorial team, and monitoring of the content of the analysed publications as well as sec‐ ondary sources such as research or journalistic reports. This article discusses the role of the media in societal transformation processes, taking into account the interdependency of the different social sys‐ tems This is followed by an outline of the development of the outlet during a decade of significant change in the Egyptian media, and a closer look at its journalistic self‐image and production structures and routines
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