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The day after the broadcast began, according to the ''Guardian/UK'', "few people in downtown Cairo confessed to tuning in for the inaugural broadcast. Opinions, however, were plentiful. 'You mean the American propaganda channel?' proved the most popular response."
The "''Guardian" '' writes that "Al Hurra's debut passed without notice in some quarters: most Egyptians cannot afford a satellite dish. In others, it was given a sceptical glance. On Sunday, the daily newspaper ''Al Ahram '' mentioned its arrival in a few, short paragraphs. 'Empty Al Hurra channel ... Handmaiden won't clean the muddy face,' declared a headline in the latest ''El Osboa''. The article argued that Arabs' fury with the United States will not change as long as it 'blindly bows' to [[Israel]]."
According to "Norman Pattiz, a member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the government agency which oversees [[Voice of America]] and now Al Hurra, explained that the newscasts would be free from government influence. The network's mission, he said, was to provide independent and credible journalism, not to sway hearts or influence opinions."
