culture

Launch and Signing Ceremony of "Mass Media.. Cassette Culture in Egypt" Begins Amid Attendance of Intellectuals and Those Interested in Cultural and Social History

December 18, 2025 shorouknews.com
Launch and Signing Ceremony of "Mass Media.. Cassette Culture in Egypt" Begins Amid Attendance of Intellectuals and Those Interested in Cultural and Social History

Book signing and discussion event for Mass Media.. Cassette Culture in Egypt with attendance of intellectuals interested in cultural and social history.

SUMMARY

Dar Al Shorouk organized a signing and discussion event for the book "Mass Media.. Cassette Culture in Egypt" attended by intellectuals and figures interested in cultural and social history. The event featured the participation of American researcher Andrew Simon and translator Badr Al Rifai, discussing the role of cassette technology in dismantling the official media monopoly and its transformation into mass media.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Book signing and discussion event for "Mass Media.. Cassette Culture in Egypt" at Dar Al Shorouk.
  • Participation of American researcher Andrew Simon and translator Badr Al Rifai in the seminar.
  • The book documents the role of cassette technology in dismantling the official media monopoly and its transformation into mass media.

CORE SUBJECT

Cassette culture in Egypt and its role in mass media

The signing and discussion event for the book "Mass Media.. Cassette Culture in Egypt" has just begun. The event is organized by Dar Al Shorouk and is held at the Consulate Building, with a notable attendance of intellectuals and those interested in cultural and social history.

The seminar featured participation from the book's author, American researcher Andrew Simon, and the translator Badr Al Rifai. The discussion was moderated by journalist writer Sayed Mahmoud, at the Consulate Building in downtown.

Attendees included Dr. Emad Abu Ghazi, former Minister of Culture; Osama Arabi; director Layali Badr; journalist writer Ghadir Hussein; Amr Ezz El-Din; Carmen Al-Tawarji; Nadia Abu Al-Ala; the founder of the Shorouk Readers Club Group; Mohamed Al-Shamaa; Nancy Habib, publishing manager at Dar Al Shorouk; along with a number of writers, journalists, and those interested in cultural affairs.

In the book's introduction, it was noted that the cassette tape, which today seems like a relic of the past, was in the last quarter of the twentieth century a significant cultural, political, artistic, and economic activity. It provided wide alternatives in singing, thought, and public discourse, from Umm Kulthum and The Beatles to Ahmed Adaweya, Sheikh Imam, and Sheikh Kishk. The book, through six chapters, documents how cassette technology contributed to dismantling the monopoly of official media before the era of satellite channels and the internet, transforming from a mere entertainment medium into what can rightfully be called "mass media."

KEYWORDS

Mass Media Cassette Culture Egypt Cultural History Dar Al Shorouk

MENTIONED ENTITIES 6

Andrew Simon

👤 Person_Male

American researcher and book author

Badr Al Rifai

👤 Person_Male

Book translator

Sayed Mahmoud

👤 Person_Male

Journalist and seminar discussion moderator

Emad Abu Ghazi

👤 Person_Male

Former Minister of Culture

Dar Al Shorouk

🏛️ Organization

Organizer of the book signing event

Consulate Building

📍 Location_City

Venue of the event in downtown