Egypt is getting ready to launch a regional news channel during the first quarter of 2020.

During a press conference May 29, the deputy director of the production company United Media Services, Houssam Saleh, said, “The studios have been equipped, and the work mechanism has been set. With its soft power, Egypt deserves to have an international channel.”

In 2019, Reuters published a report in which it indicated that United Media Services was affiliated with the state. Reuters cited industry and government sources as saying that the company’s board members include some who have links to the General Intelligence Service. Former member of parliament and cinema director Khaled Youssef told Reuters back then that the government has started to meddle with drama and media content through United Media Services, and has pushed out private production companies to exert control over TV dramas.

Pro-regime Egyptian media channels praised Egypt’s launch of a regional news channel. Egyptian TV talk show host Amr Adib said during his show on MBC on May 29, “Egypt is on the verge of a huge and important media project, which constitutes a challenge for the state,” in reference to the new regional channel.