Egypt Dream TV forced to suspend broadcast

Egypt Dream TV Egypt Dream TV was forced to suspend all services on Thursday following a decision by the Prime Minister’s cabinet and the Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU) to cut is broadcasting feed. “The channel announces its inability to operate due to the decision issued by Hisham Qandil’s cabinet, banning any broadcast, despite the broadcast’s legality,” the written disclaimer read.
The decision to suspend the channel from broadcasting comes after it was revealed that Dream TV was transmitting from Dream Land, a town in October city, while the only legal transmission site, according to MENA, is the state-owned Media Production city.
Reports say that the former Minister of Communication Mamdouh al-Beltagy had granted an authorisation to Dream TV to broadcast from Dream Land. Channels broadcasting from outside Media Production City escape transmission fees.
Dream TV presenter Wael El Abrashy directly attacked Egypt Information Minister and the Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU) during his evening show on Wednesday. The TV presenter addressed the audience saying: “If Dream TV stops broadcasting, this will mean the end of free media.”
“Egyptian Information Minister just found out that we are transmitting outside Media Production city, we cannot suddenly be breaking the law,” the presenter said.
“The decision is not legal but political,” Al-Ibrashy added, “the channel is being punished for a political stance, ” he continued before adding "We will fight against this decision; we belong to the Egyptian people and not to the regime. We will never become a pro-government channel, Mubarak has failed to shut us down, it is strange to see the regime, which came into power after the revolution, imposing restrictions on the media.”