CBC-Nahar merger is off, selling the new labor act, overhauling thanaweya amma
Monday night was a sinfully boring one for the airwaves, as the nation’s talking heads offered up a mixed bag of (very stale) nuts. Think: Relocating shop owners and the census. Against that backdrop, here’s what stood out:
On Hona Al Asema, Lamees Al Hadidi spoke to her boss, interviewing the influential media owner Mohamed El Amin, chairman of the Future Media Group (FMG). The topic: The failed merger of FMG-owned CBC with rival Al Nahar, which Al Borsa had suggested back in April was on the rocks. El Amin talked about plans to restructure the group ahead of a potential IPO in 2020 or 2020 (watch, runtime 7:05).
Lamees also spoke to Manpower Minister Mohamed Safaan about the new 276-article Labor Act, which he said will force the private sector to obtain a court verdict before dismissing employees who commit serious and costly mistakes. Employers will retain the right to lay-off staff for business reasons, but will be also still be required to compensate them for each year of service (watch, runtime 6:31).
Over on Kol Yom, Amr Adib spoke to Saudi businessman and Shobokshi Development’s Managing Director Hassan Shobokshi about his plans for future investment in Egypt and the need for a QIZ-like type of agreement between Egypt, Saudi, and the UAE to help boost economic ties (watch, runtime 2:36).
On Yahduth fi Misr, Sherif Amer spoke got the lowdown on a proposed overhaul of the much-loathed thanaweya amma system from Education Minister Tarek Shawky. The system, which is still under study but should be unveiled “soon,” will no longer divide students into science and non-science majors and impose instead a standardized SAT-style test.