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The Rise of Podcasts in Egypt Despite Restrictive Media Environment
In Egypt, a country where press freedom is virtually non-existent, a surprising trend is emerging: a booming podcast scene. Ranked 170 out of 180 countries in the 2025 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index, Egypt’s strict government control over media contrasts sharply with the growing popularity of podcasts, offering an alternate platform for free expression.
The Independent Voice in Cairo
Within a nondescript building in Cairo’s Agouza district, the team of Mada Masr, one of Egypt’s few independent news outlets, works diligently. Despite being blocked within Egypt itself for several years, the outlet has ventured into podcasting, driven by editor and host Osman El Sharnoubi. Their podcasts, delivered in Arabic, resonate with many young Egyptians, who are hungry for narratives not filtered through the state’s stringent censorship apparatus.
El Sharnoubi, aged 38, shares the challenges of operating under constant surveillance. “Stepping out with a microphone to interview people on the streets is not an option,” he explains, detailing the immediate scrutiny by authorities that such an act would provoke, likely ending with a trip to the police station.
Surviving Under Authoritarian Rule
Since the military takeover in 2013 and President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s rise to power in 2014, the Egyptian state has aggressively clamped down on media, nearly eradicating independent journalism. Stephan Roll of the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik notes the incarceration of thousands for their political beliefs as part of this clampdown.
Navigating Censorship with Care
Amid this repressive landscape, podcasters like El Sharnoubi are ever-mindful of the boundaries set by the state. Even as some episodes cover non-sensitive topics like social issues, the threat of crossing a line into sensitive political territories looms large, compelling podcasters to self-censor meticulously.
Entertainment: A Safer Bet
On a lighter note, The Podcast Project (TPP), led by the late-thirties founder Islam Adel, focuses predominantly on entertainment, steering clear of the government’s red lines. Adel, a former oil and gas engineer turned podcast enthusiast, was inspired to start TPP due to a lack of Arabic-language content. Now, TPP produces roughly 25 shows, especially popular are their comedy podcasts, which have found an audience not just in Egypt, but across the Arab world and its diaspora.
The True Crime Wave
Marwa Hegazy, a 32-year-old Egyptian, hosts a true crime podcast, delving into tales of murder and mystery, both contemporary and historical. “It’s not about the horror,” she says, “but about understanding why people do what they do, and how they come to choose such dark paths.”
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Flying Under the Radar
For now, Egyptian podcasters benefit from a relatively low level of state interference, whether their focus is on light-hearted entertainment or on the more sensitive political issues occasionally broached by platforms like Mada Masr. They operate under the radar of censorship, with hopes that this small window of freedom remains open.
As the podcast scene continues to thrive, it offers a glimpse of the complex interplay between repression and resistance in Egypt’s evolving media landscape, highlighting the resilience and ingenuity of its content creators.
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Lowell Hagan closely follows international affairs. From geopolitical conflicts to economic cooperation, he provides context to help readers better understand global dynamics. His clear, structured style gives meaning to global news.
