Media Production City pulls the plug on Al Hayat TV: Broadcasting of Al Hayat TV channels was halted on Monday after the Egyptian Media Production City’s (EMPC) management decided to cut off services provided to the network, including electricity, due to overdue payments. The EMPC said in a statement carried by Al Masry Al Youm that it had issued three warnings to the network. Al Hayat’s debts to the EMPC are reportedly north of EGP 20 mn, sources tell the newspaper. The network is currently broadcasting from abroad. The network issued a statement yesterday, carried by AMAY, alleging that it has already paid its bills and that the EMPC is actually indebted to the network to a tune of EGP 16 mn.The two sides are currently in a legal battle over a piece of land Al Hayat had purchased from the EMPC. In a funny case of the pot calling the kettle black, MP Mostafa Bakri issued a statement yesterday saying the EMPC’s decision sends a message that it curbs freedom of expression, according to Al Mal.

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