Tuesday, May 12, 2015

For The Sake of History : When the power went off in Maspero last Saturday

This is a belated post, but it is for the sake of history, it has to be recorded.
The Famous Maspero building 
Last Saturday afternoon millions of Egyptians found out that the Egyptian State TV and Radio stations broadcasted from Cairo’s Egyptian Radio and TV Union building aka Maspero went off the air for several minutes.
Yes on Saturday 10 May 2015 a power cut hit  Maspero building because a malfunction in the main lighting system in Maspero building.
It was unprecedented. I do not recall that happened before since the inauguration of the Maspero in the 1960s.
Needless to say and sadly enough no one felt sad about it !!
It is worth to say that Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab apologized to the Egyptian people for what happened. There is an investigation reportedly going in Maspero to stand on the reasons behind that malfunction.
I do not need to speculate that the results of this investigation will be that the malfunction happened because the lighting systems were too old and needed to be upgraded. They were not upgraded because of corruption and so on.
What happened on Saturday should have a discussion about the future of Maspero or the Egyptian Radio and TV stations and its future in the Egypt especially with that fierce competition against the private owned TV channels. This is not happening and won’t happen anytime soon.
The Egyptian Radio and TV union can be Egypt’s BBC, but I think if it continues in this way or rather if Egypt continues on the path of that old 1952 state the ERTU will end like TeleLiban
Anyhow, this post was only about that the power went off in Maspero last Saturday.

1 comment:

  1. E.B.C...or in my humble opinion,and other millions of Arabs in the region whom,thank GOD,still around since 1958 agree with me that Britain got its B.B.C>>>> E.B.C. or in other words Egyption Broadcasting Corporation ..at MASPERO-TowerBUILDING in CAIRO on the shores of the NILE river, is like a Giant LIGHTHOUSE that lead/LEADS the Arab nations to CULTURAL ENLIGHTENMENT for the last ..6 decades and still going STRONG! A, T.V Hollywood in its own RIGHTS,and very unique in Architectural- wise a 21 century monument,or in other ways,A Pyramid which people of that Era..built,and i say it without exaggeration,as PYRAMIDS of GIZA one can see from the sky when one s Aeroplane taking of or before landing at Cairo Aeroport..but the wonder of MASPERO building is that enter=ed every home in the region and showed us all..The WONDERS of Egypt..and a tower of Might & power that made Friends & Foes took their hats off as a sign of sheer RESPECT for all its 24/7&for 60 long years continuous services to its viewers in the Middle East and a decade and more ....thanks to technology that has no borders or limits .As Egyptian Cinema was a pioneer of the Arab Silver-Screen industry since late 1920s and to this day.. So Was and continues to be The PIONEER i Arab & International broadcasts/its corridors jammed and snarled up with latest new talents/ideas/Modern Machinery.. that can get YOU in the frame as one is AT the location/ I was previleged to grow up witnessing friendly ..attractive looks of t.v. presenters/news readers like M.ZEINAB HAYATI/M.LAYLA ROSTOM/M.AMAL FAHMI/M.SAMIA SADEQ many others too,my memory fails to recall..all!..Also in 1960 aged 13, and considered a child more than today s teen agers, we grew up delighted with MAMA SAMIHA AbdelRahman s Children s Corner that made many child prodigy kids Today s T.V/Cinema STARS ,like M.SAFA ABU SOU-OUD.../and AYLAT SII GOM-AA, every Friday,a soap opera such as East ENDERS of the London /B.B.C or The NEIGHBOURS Aussie T.V soap/and the first attempt in the M.East of that time,let alone the live broadcasts of Egyptian stage plays/COMEDIES such as>>ILLA KHAMSSA<< meaning (5-TO)with the Late genius Comedian ADEL KHEIRY/late & great Comidienne Mrs.MARIE MOUNEEB,...Then Lady of song+Concert & an Icon >> Mrs. OUM KOULTHOUM, each 1st Thursday of the-season s- months, then, all the great singers of ADWWA AL MADINA(City Lights) LIVE parties!, kept us awake most week nights..i confirm this.. most Gratefully!!!....YOU can have a glimpse of this MASPERO TOWER ,by watching 1964/5 Late&GREAT Actress Madam SOUAD HOSSNI s SAGHIRA AeL HOBB movie ,meaning >>TOO YOUNG FOR LOVE >> a comedy version of LOLITA !!??...So, any attempt to mess with this institution is messing with the whole Arab Culture everywhere , PLEASE DO STOP TRYING & BE AWARE!!//// Regards from London /I.Barsoumian

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