Egypt state TV fires news chief over Sisi interview gaffe

Cairo / AFP

Egyptian state television said on Wednesday it had sacked its head of news after an old interview with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi was screened in error.
Sisi, who is in New York for the UN General Assembly, was interviewed by the American PBS network for a second consecutive year.
Instead of broadcasting the new interview on Tuesday, state-run Channel 1 aired the one he gave last year.
The transmission was cut when staff realised the error.
State television Safaa Hegazy apologised for the “grave mistake” and said an investigation was under way to identify those responsible. News chief Mostafa Shehata confirmed he had been sacked.
He said it was “illogical” as others had also been involved in the broadcast but put it down to “fate”.
The gaffe drew heavy criticism from the anchors of pro-Sisi private television channels which have devoted extensive coverage to the president’s visit to New York.