Living Up to the Standard

Mona El Shazly '96 affirms her journalistic duty during defining moments in Egyptian history

Photographed by Ahmad El-Nemr

In today's increasingly competitive media market, staying on top is a demanding job, as Mona El Shazly '96, host of the famous Dream TV talk show Al Ashera Masa'an (10 pm), testifies. "The era we're currently witnessing is unprecedented," said El Shazly, who came to AUC as part of Meet the Media lecture series, organized by the Kamal Adham Center for Journalism Training and Research. "As the parliamentary elections concluded the year 2010, we thought that the worst was over. There was enormous pressure on us, as individuals and institutions, and we never thought that what is to come will be even harder."

El Shazly explained that every episode of her program leaves her pondering whether the impact, if any, will be a positive or negative one on society. "I always question if what I've presented in a given episode was for the good of the country," she noted. "The struggle between political factions today is more vicious than ever. It's easy for us as media personnel to give up and withdraw, but our social responsibility dictates that we do our job and say no when we're supposed to."

A journalism and mass communication graduate, El Shazly worked in the public relations department of Arab Contractors after graduation. As she moved on to pursue a career in media, she worked as a television hostess for the Arab Radio and Television Network, presenting entertainment programs as well as famous shows including Al Qadeya Lamm Tohsam Ba'ad (The Case Remains Open), La Arah, La Asma'a, La Atakalam (I Do Not See, Hear or Speak) and La Tathab Hatha Al Masa'a (Don't Go Anywhere Tonight).

When asked if she ever lost hope during the revolution, El Shazly said that she almost endured a mental breakdown on the day of what was termed as the Camel Battle. "I was optimistic just one day before," she recalled. "I felt relieved that Egypt might not have to endure much loss, but seeing these mobs assault protestors completely shattered this belief."

Despite being praised for providing some of the best coverage of the revolution, including an exclusive and moving interview with Wael Ghonim (MBA '08) after being held in custody for 12 days, El Shazly believes that the media has fallen short. "The media market is limited in terms of finances and human resources," she reasoned. "We've got many talents, but not all have the proper foundation for the job. As private media outlets, we've got no regulations, no umbrella and no deterrents. Just like the press has columns, news sections and opinion editorials, the media operates in the same way. Many outlets make the mistake of mixing news with opinions. What govern us are our conscience, ethics and education."

El Shazly also reflected on times of hardship while covering the uprising. "The pressure was enormous from regime figures. My staff and I were subjected to threats and were terrorized," she said. "However, today, we're at a period in time where we shouldn't be governed by fear, but rather by reason, enthusiasm and hope."

By Ghaydaa Fahim