Elham Aboul Fateh.. By Ashraf Al-Leithy

By: Ashraf Al-Leithy - editor in chief of  “Egyptian Economist” magazine

Journalists always write about important personalities and events during their journalism career. In light of the developments and follow-up at the global and local levels, they forget themselves, It is even rare for newspapers to write about them. They are like a fruit merchant who sells and buys all kinds of fruits, but he does not eat them. Therefore, it is my duty to shed light on a journalist who makes use of her professional tools very professionally to serve her activity and work, which has lasted for more than three decades.

In one of the lectures of Professor of Journalism in Egypt, Dr. Galal Al-Din Al-Homsani at faculty of mass communication, Cairo University, asked the students to conduct interviews with senior officials and figures in the country to publish them in Sout el-gamaa newspaper issued by the students in order to enrich the newspaper and draw attention to it.

During the next lecture, Dr. Al-Homsani said: “The presidency of the republic contacted me and said that there is a mass communication student who came and asked to meet Mrs. Jehan Sadat to conduct an interview with her to publish it in Sout el-gamaa newspaper; the officials asked Dr. Al-Homsani about this student and if she could interview Egypt’s first lady.

He said:”first of all, I express my appreciation for the courage of this student, this student is able to conduct this interview.”

Later, the interview was conducted and published in Sout el-gamaa newspaper. It was one of the wonderful and interesting interviews which was re-published in many news agencies and newspapers.

This student was Elham Aboul Fateh who became a journalist while studying at faculty of mass communication, Cairo University. She was one of the few who got training and was appointed at Akhbar Al-Youm foundation before graduation.

After her graduation, she was appointed as an editor at Akhbar Al-Youm foundation, then she became the head of the investigation section, now she is the managing editor of Al-Akhbar and the Managing director of Privately-owned TV channels Sada ElBalad.

During her journalism career at Al-Akhbar newspaper, Aboul Fateh managed to adopt huge campaigns in different sectors. Her great success is represented in her ability to change the traditional image of the deaf journalistic investigations to combine news with investigative journalism.

This requires significant knowledge of the subject matter of the investigation and searching for new information to get the scoop that adds substantial value to the topic. Therefore, Aboul Fateh gained the respect and confidence of her readers.

She didn’t forget her role as the wife of Eng. Mohsen Salah, Chairman and CEO of Arab Contractors Company, and her role as a mother.

When Aboul Fateh was selected to be the Managing director of Privately-owned TV channels Sada ElBalad, this was a new challenge for her, especially that Sada El Balad channel was launched on November, 28, 2011 amid important incidents and developments in Egypt and a very dangerous revolutionary situation.

She decided to stick by an important principle since her position was clear from the beginning as she was supportive to the Egyptian people and bravely criticized the Muslim Brotherhood group “MB” during its one-year rule  while Sada El Balad and its owner Mohamed Aboul Enein were keen to transfer the real image of the Egyptian street.

Aboul Fateh succeeded in getting the channel to safety, in light of the crashing waves and fierce attacks that were threatening all the staff of the channel during the black MB one-year rule.

It is my duty to shed light on journalist and writer Elham Aboul Fateh, this is not a bias for her, but in order to highlight the professional and human rights of such a distinguished personality.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POu4kh6AaQs&feature=youtu.be