403
Sorry!!
Error! We're sorry, but the page you were looking for doesn't exist.
Egypt TV satirist fined millions
(MENAFN- Arab News) Cairo: A prominent Egyptian satirist has been fined millions of dollars over a dispute with a television channel that suspended his show after it lampooned military leaders officials said Tuesday.
Bassem Youssef often compared to US satirist Jon Stewart moved Al-Bernameg (The Programme) to Saudi-owned channel MBC last year after it was pulled by the private Egyptian broadcaster CBC.
The Cairo Regional Center for International Commercial Arbitration fined Youssef and his company Q-Soft 50 million Egyptian pounds ($6.5 million 5.5 million euros) each for 'CBC's financial and literary losses' CBC owner Mohamed Al-Amin told AFP.
The arbitration body said the weekly show was not 'purposeful and constructive' but a platform for 'smearing the country's political direction.'
It said that if Youssef's company failed to pay its part of the fine then he would have to shoulder it all himself.
CBC suspended Al-Bernameg in November 2013 after an episode in which the satirist poked fun at military leaders including then army chief and now President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi. The private channel said at the time that Youssef had 'violated the editorial policies' of the channel.
Youssef terminated his contract with the channel after it refused to resume broadcasts of the show a source close to Al-Bernameg told AFP.
In February 2014 he began airing the show on Dubai-based MBC but suspended it in June because of what he described as 'enormous' pressure.
The doctor-turned-satirist plans to appeal the arbitration body's ruling the Al-Bernameg source said.
'I have been forced into a commercial arbitration conflict that I am not part of regarding CBC's suspension of the show' Youssef wrote on Twitter.
The show's suspension triggered concerns about media freedoms in Egypt. Youssef became a household name known for witty remarks lampooning public figures including Mursi.
Bassem Youssef often compared to US satirist Jon Stewart moved Al-Bernameg (The Programme) to Saudi-owned channel MBC last year after it was pulled by the private Egyptian broadcaster CBC.
The Cairo Regional Center for International Commercial Arbitration fined Youssef and his company Q-Soft 50 million Egyptian pounds ($6.5 million 5.5 million euros) each for 'CBC's financial and literary losses' CBC owner Mohamed Al-Amin told AFP.
The arbitration body said the weekly show was not 'purposeful and constructive' but a platform for 'smearing the country's political direction.'
It said that if Youssef's company failed to pay its part of the fine then he would have to shoulder it all himself.
CBC suspended Al-Bernameg in November 2013 after an episode in which the satirist poked fun at military leaders including then army chief and now President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi. The private channel said at the time that Youssef had 'violated the editorial policies' of the channel.
Youssef terminated his contract with the channel after it refused to resume broadcasts of the show a source close to Al-Bernameg told AFP.
In February 2014 he began airing the show on Dubai-based MBC but suspended it in June because of what he described as 'enormous' pressure.
The doctor-turned-satirist plans to appeal the arbitration body's ruling the Al-Bernameg source said.
'I have been forced into a commercial arbitration conflict that I am not part of regarding CBC's suspension of the show' Youssef wrote on Twitter.
The show's suspension triggered concerns about media freedoms in Egypt. Youssef became a household name known for witty remarks lampooning public figures including Mursi.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any
responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos,
licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues
related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Comments
No comment