Contested Blueprints for Egypt's Satellite Channels

Abstract

With Arab-owned satellite channels of all types now broadcasting in all directions, from inside and outside the Arab world, state-centric approaches are no longer valid for analysing power relations in this field. Combining Susan Strange's theory of structural power with Robert Cox's model of world hegemony, developed from the work of Antonio Gramsci, this article proposes an alternative perspective from which to view the organizational formulae adopted for satellite broadcasting. After showing how labels such as national and public cannot be stretched to fit even Egypt's state-owned satellite channels, the article compares competing visions for the future of Egyptian satellite broadcasting on the basis of whether they conform to world hegemonic orthodoxies or challenge them.