Journalism in a Network: The Role of ICTs in Egyptian Newsrooms

The utilisation of ICTs in Egypt has irrevocably changed the nature of the traditional public sphere. One can see the Egyptian online society as a multiplicity of networks. These networks have developed, transformed and expanded over time, operating across all areas of life. Nonetheless, in essence they are socio-political and cultural in origin. Audiences started to provide detailed descriptions of Egyptian street politics, posting multimedia material, generating public interest, and reinforcing citizen power and democracy. This trend changed the way audiences consumed news, with traditional media (especially independent and opposition) started to access online information to develop their media content and to escape government control. Several media organisations also started to expand their presence online so that, as well as providing news content to attract audiences, they also provided them with a ‘space’ to interact amongst themselves and with media organisations. This called for the introduction of a new type of journalism requiring a conscious sense of how to reach out to citizens and listen to them, and to have citizens listen and talk to each other.