26 April - 2 May 2001
Issue No.531
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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 26 April - 2 May 2001 Issue No.531 |
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Rough road ahead
Will Hassan Hamed breathe new life in the Egyptian Radio and Television Union? Hanan Sabra charts a difficult course for the ERTU's new head
Stepping into the top post at the Egyptian Radio and Television Union this week, Hassan Hamed knows well the obstacles before him. An ERTU veteran, Hamed recognises both the impact of television and radio on prevalent sentiments and attitudes and the need to reflect a changing cultural milieu in the organisation's programming. The challenge he faces is to tackle the union's inefficient systems, revamp inadequate facilities and whip up flagging morale.
In an interview with Al-Ahram Weekly, Hamed stressed the importance upgrading working conditions, saying that he will speed up the drive to establish state-of-the-art studios and re-evaluate the ERTU as a whole. Since a detailed plan is still in the works, Hamed says "we can only talk now about thoughts and ideas", but it is clear that he feels change is essential for all sectors of the union, "to overcome whatever is weak and encourage whatever is strong."
Laying out his vision for the ERTU, Hamed said that "We should start working according to macro, not micro, levels, to achieve integration between the different services presented to the audience and satisfy all tastes." He added that programmes need to be evaluated every three months to weed out the unsuccessful ones and ensure variety. With Egyptian television now feeling the heat from competition with Arab satellite channels, the union cannot afford to allow similarities between some programmes, sometimes even on the same channel.
Hamed indicated that he will give his attention to both the quality and quantity of the programmes, saying that the union cannot simply cut broadcasting hours when it lacks good programmes. Hamed conceded that the "character" of each TV channel and radio service should be redefined, saying overlap between channels keeps them from cultivating a niche audience, encouraging homogeneity in programming. Hamed suggested that every channel should have its own style, with provincial channels reflecting the culture of the local community. Regarding the radio service, Hamed says that the audience has changed over the last 35 years and Egyptian radio must change with it.
One of the most pressing problems facing the union is its liquidity problem. Frequent cash crunches are blamed by many experts on the use of "executive producers", who are hired out to produce programmes for a flat fee. The system was instituted years back when the union increased its programming, but suffered from a lack of efficient professionals. As a money-saving tactic, the union chose to employ what it calls "executive producers", who take care of all the costs and handle the production out of their fee. The system succeeded in pursuing the union's increased targets, but after a few years executive producers started raising their prices significantly and the entire system now needs to be reconsidered.
Another problem that has consistently caused losses is the union's insistence on putting on extravagant "Layali Al-Television" (Television Nights) -- gala nights with performances celebrated each summer either in Cairo or along the Mediterranean coast. These programmes have never succeeded in making a profit, or even covering their expenses. Hamed says a decision regarding these nights will be taken soon.
A major change expected during Hamed's tenure is the lifting of "ceilings" on staff salaries -- a system that Hamed opposes as it stifles the drive to succeed and improve. Aside from looking into alternative payment systems, Hamed has said he will delegate the problems of job redistribution for television announcers who lack experience and training to the new head of the Television Sector, Mervat Ragab.
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