Minister Proposes Umbrella Body for Egypt’s Digital News Websites

Minister of State for Information Diaa Rashwan has proposed creating an umbrella body to represent licensed digital news websites, following a meeting in Cairo with editors-in-chief of electronic outlets.

Rashwan said the body should be developed by website managers themselves to organise coordination and represent their shared interests, while operating within existing constitutional and legal frameworks.

Assistant Minister for Digital Media Khaled El Barmawy said the proposal is not intended to create a new syndicate or take powers away from the Journalists Syndicate. Instead, it would provide digital media outlets and platforms with a unified institutional voice.

Potential areas for coordination include the digital advertising market, audience measurement, negotiations with global technology platforms and protection of content rights as artificial intelligence expands.

Rashwan was appointed Minister of State for Information in February following the ministry’s reinstatement after around five years. He previously served as head of the Journalists Syndicate.