El Koshary Today
El Koshary Today is an Egyptian online news website that features satire and political parody. The website is named for a common Egyptian dish consisting of a spaghetti mixture that may also contain lentils, rice, and chickpeas. According to Zohny, "Koshary is sort of a very reflective meal of the country in the sense that it's a very chaotic kind of meal".[1]
Beginnings
The website began in 2008 when three friends got together to start a newspaper similar to America's The Onion, but with a specific philosophy. When a newsprint edition didn't work out, they decided to publish online. Initially they wrote anonymously under the pen names Makarona (macaroni), Ward Zeyada (extra onions) and Subar Lox (large-sized Koshary).[2]
News items are not added on any schedule, but as inspiration strikes. Past topics have included the 2011 revolution as well as the 2012 elections.[1]
Regular features
The El Koshary Today portal has the appearance of a mainstream news site. Sections are categorized in the same manner as news websites: Features, International, Opinions, Arts, Science-Fiction and Technology, Sports, and Mind and Soul, and even Classified ads and "Horrorscopes."[2]
Fake headlines mock the news by putting a twist on actual government messages. One such mock headline quoted the government as saying, "Complaining to strangers may lead to annihilation," a play on government ads warning Egyptians not to talk with foreigners.[1]
Impact
The website's philosophy is to use satire and imagination to raise awareness of national issues in a way that is humorous, but also invites action.[3] Websites such as El Koshary Today and others have been credited with part of a larger global trend towards the use of social media and humor to create political change that reached a much broader public during the 2011 Egyptian revolution in Cairo’s Tahrir Square.[4]
See also
- List of satirical magazines
- List of satirical news websites
- List of satirical television news programs
References
- 1 2 3 Steve Inskeep (September 5, 2012). "And Now For The Lighter Side Of Egypt's Revolution". NPR. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
- 1 2 Pakinam Amer (2009-11-18). "El Koshary Today: Egypt's online "fake news" paper". Egypt Independent. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
- ↑ "El Koshary Today Team". Midan Masr. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
- ↑ Mark Allen Peterson (25 August 2012). "Can laughter change Egypt?". Al Arabiya News. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
External links
- elkoshary.com (Official website)
- facebook.com/elkoshary (Facebook)
- twitter.com/elkoshary (Twitter)
- "Egypt’s 'most reliable news source'". PRI's The World, June 17, 2010. Retrieved 9/8/2012.
- "A Dish Called Koshary", PRI's The World, August 25, 2011. Retrieved 9/8/2012.