The feature, 4:52 minutes long, is set in Giza, an area usually bustling with tourists and where the famed Pharonic pyramids still stand.
The piece starts off with the sound of hooves moving against a grainy surface. The volume decreases as the reporter begins to speak, instantly capturing the listener’s attention with a detailed, and visually appealing description of her whereabouts. The nat sounds continue to play in the background.
The reporter then introduces a tour-guide who has spent the larger part of his life working in the area and whose work completely depends on tourist presence in the area. She explains that he is one of many whose income has recently decreased drastically.
Rather than speaking, the reporter allows the subject to tell his own story about the hardships that he and many like him are facing. In doing so she adds a human-interest element to a business story in order to maintain interest and compel even those not interested in economics.
Her presentation of facts and figures about the Egyptian economy falls in nicely with the personal stories. For example, she states Egypt’s tourist statistics and the industry’s share in the country’s gross domestic production (GDP), but also has her interviewees explain the consequences in simpler terms, “if on a day there’s no work, then there’s no money, then there’s no food.”
She describes even the horses in the Giza stables as “emaciated with protruding ribs and thinning flanks.”
The reporter moves on to discuss people’s happiness and hopes for a better Egypt despite their desperate financial situations.
She transitions smoothly between the two ideas by changing the nat sounds from those of horses and carriages to those of people on the streets, talking to each other. Her description of her new locale is quite visually stimulating and it effortlessly takes the listener from one side of the street to the other.
The nat sounds in this section do not necessarily directly correspond with the setting, but she does make an effort to maintain a connection between the noises and the words. For instance she makes sure that the sound of men talking can be heard when she talks about men going in to buy cigarettes from the convenience store. She also adds in a child’s voice when she mentions one.
She leaves time for a few more quotes relating to her second point before wrapping up the story. One is left wondering how people in such conditions could possibly have hope for a better future. The reporter then ponders on the question of when and whether things would go back to normal to indicate the story is not yet over.
The piece was fairly short for such a substantial topic, yet still quite thorough. It addressed the story from a very interesting angle, using personal accounts to inform audiences about a large and complex economic situation. Not only so, but she also let her subjects tell the story, which created a sense of intimacy from beginning to end.
Overall the production quality was good. The reporter's and subjects' voices were clear and distinct. Moreover, the story was well structured, organized, and communicated.
The nat sounds worked well with the piece as well, especially against the reporter’s voice, which was calm the whole time, but had a slight tone of skepticism, especially toward the end, to fully convey the instability she is discussing. I would have preferred to listen to more than just hooves and chatter however.
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