United Media Services launches first Egyptian documentary channel

Egypt’s United Media Services has launched a new documentary channel, Al-Wathaeqya, on the Nilesat satellite.

Journalist Sherif Saeed has been appointed to head the first-of-its-kind channel and Ahmed Al-Deriny will take charge of the documentary production division.

The channel went live on Sunday with part one of an exclusive interview with Daesh’s Emir Haitham Abdelhamid. Parts two and three will be aired on Feb. 21 and Feb. 23, respectively.

The aim of the channel is to present issues of interest, across sectors such as politics and society economics, to Egyptians in a holistic manner.

It will screen documentaries about nature, regional issues, and prominent Egyptian figures, in addition to award-winning productions.

Officials said the channel had already acquired rights to exclusive content that would be aired free of charge.