A descriptive study based on Egyptian law, printed sources, and interviews clarifies our picture of the Egyptian Press by examining its status as a constitutionally mandated "Fourth Estate." The constitutional amendment, the resultant Egyptian Press Law, and the "Law Of Shame" (all passed in 1980), are designed to create a heavily controlled press that will help preserve the "status quo." With most press activity concentrated in Cairo and already centrally controlled by the Arab Socialist Union (which had broken with President Sadat over his peace with Israel), and with these papers dependent upon the government owned Middle East News Agency, some change of ownership was felt to be necessary. Although the Egyptian Press was subject to governmental control from the time of Nasser, the "Fourth Estate" Law transferred press ownership to the government, resting control of appointments and policy with the upper house of the legislature, the Consultative Assembly. Through the Egyptian Higher Press Council, the assembly effectively controls all the press in Egypt, even that not owned by the government. Even the theoretical press freedom granted by the Press Council is nonexistent, and under President Mubarak Egypt's press continues to resemble the Soviet press in both theory and practice much more closely than it does the free press of the Western world. (JL)