The developmental dimensions of the Egyptian media role in the peace process : a content analysis with a future perspective

This study aims at investigating the role of the Egyptian press in the developmental dimension of the peace process. In exploring this role, the study answers two questions. How did the Egyptian press connect the peace process to the economic, political and social dimension of development? How did the press construct the meaning of peace in terms of the social context in Egypt? The study addresses five main objectives. These objectives are: exploring differences between national and opposition newspapers in dealing with the developmental dimensions of the peace process; examining how the economic dimensions are framed; examining how the political dimensions were presented; exploring how the social/cultural dimensions were portrayed; and how the Egyptian journalists consider the role of the press within its relationship with political institutions.;Following the political economy approach, interviews with Egyptian journalists from both the national and the opposition papers under analysis considered the relationship between the press and the government to have been very close all along. The criteria of selecting news in the national newspapers were far from professional news values. Results of the context analysis reinforce the views of these journalists about the relationship between the government and the press and how it influences content. Following the construction of meaning approach, the analysis indicates that the Egyptian press constructed the meaning of peace within the social context. The press considered that peace would lead to the solving of critical economic and political issues facing Egypt. Socially, that peace would secure enough funds to build houses, renew the infrastructure, decrease unemployment, and improve health care. Generally, that peace would help to solve economic, political, and social problems.