They were launched with the aim of maintaining the local environment of each province and to provide local media service which is needed by viewers. Al-Sherif added that a new ground television channel at the present time is difficult. Ground transmission permits only transmitting Channel One and Channel Two. The ground frequency cannot be increased at present. The future is for cables and space.
Nobody can stop Egyptian transmission.
Al-Sherif revealed that Israel launched a satellite in the early nineties hoping that it would attract the Arabs under what it had called Mideastern. Hence, it was the Egyptian decision to launch the Egyptian satellite which is one of the biggest satellites at present as regards its beams and the number of its channels. Safwat Al Sherif said that the share of the Egyptian citizen of media is about 5 pounds only compared to about 500 pounds spent to buy newspapers annually. Al-Sherif said that the State's subsidy is about 32 million pounds whereas advertisements bring in a proceed of about 450 million pounds and about 120 million pounds, are collected from outside marketing. Al-Sherif said that he had discussed with the Ministry of Education a project for a direct transmission from the educational channel to regional channels for two hours daily in curricula which need private lessons.