Television in Lebanon
Encyclopedia
Television in Lebanon arose as a private initiative and not a state-institution. Lebanon
, along with Iraq, was the first country in the Arab world to have indigenous television broadcasting. Lebanon's has always had a progressive position in the Arab world, especially in terms of a liberal, open minded, multi-ethnic, often western-oriented society, and this was reflected in its television productions for many decades. With the advent of satellite television, Lebanon’s liberalism and open-society was broadcast across the Arab world on Lebanese satellite stations or Lebanese-dominated satellite televisions like MBC, ART, Orbit and Rotana, and its influence was evident in the various Arab televisions emulating the Lebanese model.
was an exception where in 1956, the Lebanese government granted broadcast licenses to two private companies, La Compagnie Libanaise de Télévision (CLT) and Compagnie de Télévision du Liban et du Proche (Télé-Orient). CLT began broadcasting on May 28, 1959, making it the first commercial television station in the Arabic-speaking world. Soon after Télé-Orient, with financing from the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), began broadcasting. CLT, which was licensed to Alex Aridi and Wissam Izzedine, operated two VHF channels, Canal 7 and Canal 9. Canal 9 was a French-language channel. After the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, media production migrated from Cairo to Beirut and that helped fuel television production in Lebanon.
technology. Export of taped programming to other Arab countries continued and was profitable during this decade.
Despite the war, Lebanese telenovelas continued to be produced and were shown across the Arab world. One of the most popular television shows of this period was Studio El Fan, a singing competition show.
Additionally, media entrepreneurs in Lebanon, sometimes financed by Kuwaitis, began importing and dubbing foreign productions into Arabic. Nicholas Abu Samah, owner of Filmali, was a pioneer of video dubbing into Arabic. Filmali dubbed a series of anime
, such as Arabian Nights: Sinbad's Adventures
, Maya the Honey Bee, and Grendizer
that were exported to national televisions across the Arab world.
would remain the only TV station in Lebanon until 1985 when the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation
, began broadcasting programs, albeit without a license and thus illegally. LBC ended Télé Liban's monopoly and quickly became Lebanon's most watched channel due to its advanced technology, innovative programming and coverage of the news.
Television production companies continued to dub anime series, such as Hello! Sandybell
and Belle and Sebastian, and to export them to Arab televisions.
Soon after, privately-owned Future Television also began broadcasting from Beirut to the Arab world and along with LBC changed viewing patterns across Arab countries, and especially in the Gulf countries. Lebanon offered Gulf viewers a view into a much more open-minded and liberal, Arabic-speaking society—with different dress-codes and values—that was distant enough geographically not to be threatening to their own values. With Lebanon's private satellite television stations broadcasting unique and innovative programming out of Lebanon, the country gained regional influence disproportionate to its small population and geographic size. The Pan-Arab reach that Lebanese television quickly achieved challenged the dominance of Egyptian television and Saudi-owned satellite stations, such as MBC and ART. While attractive female presenters and entertaining games shows helped garner viewership for Lebanese television across the Arab world, the influence was much greater as Arab terrestrial and satellite stations, including Al Jazeera, "unmistakably adopted the styles and methods of the Lebanese School of Journalism, in language, content presentation and delivery of news and current affairs programs as well as entertainment shows". LBC's programming were innovative and pushed the envelope on several social and cultural fronts., and this made the channel very popular across the Arab world. For example, LBC was as popular in Saudi Arabia in 1997 as was Saudi-owned MBC.
In the early 1990s, audiences across the Arab world were exposed to dubbed, Latin American television productions for the first time. Nicholas Abu Samah's Filmali dubbed Mexican and Brazilian telenovela
s into Arabic to air on Lebanese stations, especially LBC. These dubbed telenovelas were also sold to other Arab television stations.
In 1996, Scorpions became the first, international rock band to perform in Lebanon after the war, and during their stay in Beirut, they filmed their music video for the song, “When You Came into my Life” in the hotel district of Beirut Central District
, which was yet to be redeveloped.
remained a major production and broadcast center in the region with companies like MBC, which was based in Dubai, continuing to transmist and produce programming from Beirut. Dubai Media Incorporated also continued to broadcast some of its programs, like Taratata, from Lebanon while Abu Dhabi Media had several programs produced in Beirut as well.
Television stations in Lebanon, such as LBC and Future TV, pioneered reality TV in the Arab world, especially music competition shows. In 2003, Future Television began broadcasting Superstar, which was based on the popular British show, Pop Idol, created by Simon Fuller's 19 Entertainment & developed by Fremantle Media. In the same year, LBC began producing the Arab version of Endemol
's Star Academy
. Both shows were extremely popular with audiences across the Arab world. These shows, especially Star Academy, broke social taboos, such as non-sexual cohabitation.
In 2002, Murr Television was forced to shut down officially due to a technical violation of the law but in reality due to its anti-Syrian stance and continuous criticism of the government and Syrian interference in Lebanese affairs. Four years after the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon, Murr Television
(MTV) re-opened in 2009.
population has access to satellite television.
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, along with Iraq, was the first country in the Arab world to have indigenous television broadcasting. Lebanon's has always had a progressive position in the Arab world, especially in terms of a liberal, open minded, multi-ethnic, often western-oriented society, and this was reflected in its television productions for many decades. With the advent of satellite television, Lebanon’s liberalism and open-society was broadcast across the Arab world on Lebanese satellite stations or Lebanese-dominated satellite televisions like MBC, ART, Orbit and Rotana, and its influence was evident in the various Arab televisions emulating the Lebanese model.
1950s
While television in the Arab world was a government monopoly, LebanonLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
was an exception where in 1956, the Lebanese government granted broadcast licenses to two private companies, La Compagnie Libanaise de Télévision (CLT) and Compagnie de Télévision du Liban et du Proche (Télé-Orient). CLT began broadcasting on May 28, 1959, making it the first commercial television station in the Arabic-speaking world. Soon after Télé-Orient, with financing from the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), began broadcasting. CLT, which was licensed to Alex Aridi and Wissam Izzedine, operated two VHF channels, Canal 7 and Canal 9. Canal 9 was a French-language channel. After the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, media production migrated from Cairo to Beirut and that helped fuel television production in Lebanon.
1960s
In 1967, CLT became the third television station in the world after the Soviet Union and France to broadcast in color, utilizing the French SECAMSECAM
SECAM, also written SÉCAM , is an analog color television system first used in France....
technology. Export of taped programming to other Arab countries continued and was profitable during this decade.
1970s
During the war, rival factions utilized broadcast media for their own purposes. In 1976, Brigadier General El Ahdab staged a coupe, demanding the resignation of then President Suleiman Franjieh. El Ahdab announced the coup on television after his forces overtook CLT, a private television company. In retaliation, supporters of President Franjieh took control of Télé-Orient, and this split continued until the election of President Elias Sarkis. Due to the political strife, both CLT and Télé-Orient were facing financial difficulties so in 1977, both stations came to an agreement with the Lebanese government to merge into one national television station, which was named Télé-Liban.Despite the war, Lebanese telenovelas continued to be produced and were shown across the Arab world. One of the most popular television shows of this period was Studio El Fan, a singing competition show.
Additionally, media entrepreneurs in Lebanon, sometimes financed by Kuwaitis, began importing and dubbing foreign productions into Arabic. Nicholas Abu Samah, owner of Filmali, was a pioneer of video dubbing into Arabic. Filmali dubbed a series of anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, such as Arabian Nights: Sinbad's Adventures
Arabian Nights: Sinbad's Adventures
is a 52 episode anime series directed by Fumio Kurokawa and produced by Nippon Animation which was first aired in 1975. The story is based on the children story "Sinbad the Sailor".-Synopsis:Sinbad is a young boy and the son of a famous merchant from Baghdad...
, Maya the Honey Bee, and Grendizer
Grendizer
is a super robot TV anime and manga created by manga artist Go Nagai. It is the third entry in the Mazinger trilogy. It was broadcasted on Japanese television from October 5, 1975, to February 27, 1977, and lasted 74 episodes...
that were exported to national televisions across the Arab world.
1980s
Télé Liban broadcast a large number of American programs, miniseries and films in the early eighties, such as Dallas, Dynasty, Fame, Falcon Crest, Flamingo Road, The Love Boat, Happy Days, Solid Gold, and Roots. Télé LibanTélé Liban
Télé Liban became the first Lebanese public television network, owned by the Lebanese government. Télé Liban was a result of the merger of two privately-owned stations, CLT and Télé Orient in 1977. Currently, it mainly broadcasts terrestrially throughout Lebanon. TL is the current Lebanese...
would remain the only TV station in Lebanon until 1985 when the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation
Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation
The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation , widely known as LBC, is the first private television station in Lebanon. It went global in 1996 when it launched its satellite channel LBC Al-Fadha'iya Al-Lubnaniya covering the Arab World. It now has several channels covering Europe, America, Australia, and...
, began broadcasting programs, albeit without a license and thus illegally. LBC ended Télé Liban's monopoly and quickly became Lebanon's most watched channel due to its advanced technology, innovative programming and coverage of the news.
Television production companies continued to dub anime series, such as Hello! Sandybell
Hello! Sandybell
is an anime series made by Toei Animation in 1981. It was aired in Japan by TV Asahi.In the original title when it is made in Japan, her name is the spelling to which "E" is attached to an end by "Sandybelle"....
and Belle and Sebastian, and to export them to Arab televisions.
1990s
After the war, Lebanon emerged as the country with the most liberal media in the region. In the early nineties, there were 54 television stations operating in the country. In 1994, Lebanon once again legalized private ownerships of radio and television stations, making it the only country in the Arab world to do so at the time. The Audiovisual Media Law of 1994 not only regulated the airwaves, but also ended the state's monopoly over broadcast television that had been in effect since 1977. Two years later, the government passed a similar law addressing satellite television stations. In 1996, the Lebanese Broadcasting Company (LBC) became the first Arab satellite station to broadcast from the Arab world. MBC was then broadcasting from London and ART from Italy.Soon after, privately-owned Future Television also began broadcasting from Beirut to the Arab world and along with LBC changed viewing patterns across Arab countries, and especially in the Gulf countries. Lebanon offered Gulf viewers a view into a much more open-minded and liberal, Arabic-speaking society—with different dress-codes and values—that was distant enough geographically not to be threatening to their own values. With Lebanon's private satellite television stations broadcasting unique and innovative programming out of Lebanon, the country gained regional influence disproportionate to its small population and geographic size. The Pan-Arab reach that Lebanese television quickly achieved challenged the dominance of Egyptian television and Saudi-owned satellite stations, such as MBC and ART. While attractive female presenters and entertaining games shows helped garner viewership for Lebanese television across the Arab world, the influence was much greater as Arab terrestrial and satellite stations, including Al Jazeera, "unmistakably adopted the styles and methods of the Lebanese School of Journalism, in language, content presentation and delivery of news and current affairs programs as well as entertainment shows". LBC's programming were innovative and pushed the envelope on several social and cultural fronts., and this made the channel very popular across the Arab world. For example, LBC was as popular in Saudi Arabia in 1997 as was Saudi-owned MBC.
In the early 1990s, audiences across the Arab world were exposed to dubbed, Latin American television productions for the first time. Nicholas Abu Samah's Filmali dubbed Mexican and Brazilian telenovela
Telenovela
A telenovela is a limited-run serial dramatic programming popular in Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish television programming. The word combines tele, short for televisión or televisão , and novela, a Spanish or Portuguese word for "novel"...
s into Arabic to air on Lebanese stations, especially LBC. These dubbed telenovelas were also sold to other Arab television stations.
In 1996, Scorpions became the first, international rock band to perform in Lebanon after the war, and during their stay in Beirut, they filmed their music video for the song, “When You Came into my Life” in the hotel district of Beirut Central District
Beirut Central District
The Beirut Central District or Centre Ville is the name given to Beirut’s historical and geographical core, the “vibrant financial, commercial, and administrative hub of the country.” At the heart of Lebanon’s capital, Beirut Central District is an area thousands of years old, traditionally a...
, which was yet to be redeveloped.
The New Millennium
The remarkable amount of media production for terrestrial and satellite television, music videos and advertising commercials created a large and viable media industry and maintained Lebanon as one of the important media centers in the region. BeirutBeirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
remained a major production and broadcast center in the region with companies like MBC, which was based in Dubai, continuing to transmist and produce programming from Beirut. Dubai Media Incorporated also continued to broadcast some of its programs, like Taratata, from Lebanon while Abu Dhabi Media had several programs produced in Beirut as well.
Television stations in Lebanon, such as LBC and Future TV, pioneered reality TV in the Arab world, especially music competition shows. In 2003, Future Television began broadcasting Superstar, which was based on the popular British show, Pop Idol, created by Simon Fuller's 19 Entertainment & developed by Fremantle Media. In the same year, LBC began producing the Arab version of Endemol
Endemol
Endemol is an international television production and distribution company based in the Netherlands, with subsidiaries and joint ventures in 23 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Poland,...
's Star Academy
Star Academy
Star Academy is a highly successful television show format based on the Spanish format "Operación Triunfo" produced by Endemol, that has been broadcast in over 50 countries...
. Both shows were extremely popular with audiences across the Arab world. These shows, especially Star Academy, broke social taboos, such as non-sexual cohabitation.
In 2002, Murr Television was forced to shut down officially due to a technical violation of the law but in reality due to its anti-Syrian stance and continuous criticism of the government and Syrian interference in Lebanese affairs. Four years after the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon, Murr Television
Murr Television
Murr Television is a Lebanese television station based in Naccache, a suburb of the capital Beirut. It is owned by Lebanese politician Gabriel Murr and directed by his son Michel Murr...
(MTV) re-opened in 2009.
Viewership
More than 90% of the LebaneseLebanese people
The Lebanese people are a nation and ethnic group of Levantine people originating in what is today the country of Lebanon, including those who had inhabited Mount Lebanon prior to the creation of the modern Lebanese state....
population has access to satellite television.
Television Stations & Networks
| Name | Ownership | Political affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| Al-Manar Al-Manar Al-Manar is a Lebanese satellite television station affiliated with Hezbollah, registered as Lebanese Media Group Company, broadcasting from Beirut, Lebanon. It has an offering a "rich menu" of high production news, commentary, and entertainment. The self-proclaimed "Station of the Resistance" ,... |
Private Privately held company A privately held company or close corporation is a business company owned either by non-governmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or company members which does not offer or trade its company stock to the general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the... |
Hezbollah |
| Al Jadeed Al Jadeed Al Jadeed , formerly known as New TV, is a 24-hour PAN Arab station broadcasting from Lebanon offering general-interest programming in the Arabic language.The launch of Al Jadeed took place on October 4, 2001 in Lebanon and the Arab world... |
Private Privately held company A privately held company or close corporation is a business company owned either by non-governmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or company members which does not offer or trade its company stock to the general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the... |
March 8 Alliance March 8 Alliance The March 8 Alliance is a coalition of various political parties in Lebanon. It has been the ruling coalition since January 25, 2011 when the alliance managed to nominate Najib Mikati as the new prime minister.-History:... |
| Future News Future News Future News is a 24-hour news channel. It is a sister channel to Future Television.Future News is one of the leading channels in Lebanon that covers local and international news around the clock.... |
Private Privately held company A privately held company or close corporation is a business company owned either by non-governmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or company members which does not offer or trade its company stock to the general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the... |
Future Movement |
| Future Television Future Television Future Television a television station broadcasting from Lebanon. It was founded in 1993 by Rafik Hariri, a former Prime Minister of Lebanon. Future TV is also available via satellite in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia. Politically, the channel supports the views of the Future... |
Private Privately held company A privately held company or close corporation is a business company owned either by non-governmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or company members which does not offer or trade its company stock to the general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the... |
Future Movement |
| Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation , widely known as LBC, is the first private television station in Lebanon. It went global in 1996 when it launched its satellite channel LBC Al-Fadha'iya Al-Lubnaniya covering the Arab World. It now has several channels covering Europe, America, Australia, and... |
Private Privately held company A privately held company or close corporation is a business company owned either by non-governmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or company members which does not offer or trade its company stock to the general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the... |
March 14 Alliance March 14 Alliance The March 14 alliance , named after the date of the Cedar Revolution, is a coalition of political parties and independents in Lebanon that call for sovereignty over all Lebanese territories, led by MP Saad Hariri, younger son of Rafik Hariri, the assassinated former prime minister of Lebanon, as... |
| Murr Television Murr Television Murr Television is a Lebanese television station based in Naccache, a suburb of the capital Beirut. It is owned by Lebanese politician Gabriel Murr and directed by his son Michel Murr... |
Private Privately held company A privately held company or close corporation is a business company owned either by non-governmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or company members which does not offer or trade its company stock to the general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the... |
Neutral Neutrality (philosophy) Neutrality is the absence of declared bias. In an argument, a neutral person will not choose a side.A Neutral country maintains political neutrality, a related but distinct concept.-What neutrality is not:... |
| National Broadcasting Network National Broadcasting Network (Lebanon) National Broadcasting Network known as NBN is the official television of the Lebanese Amal Movement. The National Broadcasting Network s.a.l. NBN, is a Lebanese private company by shares, founded in 1996. In September 2000, NBN launched its satellite channel via Arab Sat and Nile Sat to cover the... |
Private Privately held company A privately held company or close corporation is a business company owned either by non-governmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or company members which does not offer or trade its company stock to the general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the... |
Amal Movement Amal Movement Amal Movement is short for the Lebanese Resistance Detachments the acronym for which, in Arabic, is "amal", meaning "hope."Amal was founded in 1975 as the militia wing of the Movement of the Disinherited, a Shi'a political movement founded by Musa... |
| OTV | Private Public company This is not the same as a Government-owned corporation.A public company or publicly traded company is a limited liability company that offers its securities for sale to the general public, typically through a stock exchange, or through market makers operating in over the counter markets... |
Free Patriotic Movement Free Patriotic Movement The Free Patriotic Movement , also known as the "Aounist Movement" , is a Lebanese political party, led by Michel Aoun and allied with Hezbollah, The movement was officially declared a political party on September 18, 2005Though most of the party's support comes from Lebanon's... |
| Télé Liban Télé Liban Télé Liban became the first Lebanese public television network, owned by the Lebanese government. Télé Liban was a result of the merger of two privately-owned stations, CLT and Télé Orient in 1977. Currently, it mainly broadcasts terrestrially throughout Lebanon. TL is the current Lebanese... |
Government-owned Government-owned corporation A government-owned corporation, state-owned company, state-owned entity, state enterprise, publicly owned corporation, government business enterprise, or parastatal is a legal entity created by a government to undertake commercial activities on behalf of an owner government... |
Neutral (Governmental) Neutrality (philosophy) Neutrality is the absence of declared bias. In an argument, a neutral person will not choose a side.A Neutral country maintains political neutrality, a related but distinct concept.-What neutrality is not:... |
| Télé Lumière Télé Lumière -History:Télé Lumière as its name indicates means the "TV of Light". It is the first Christian television station in Lebanon and the Arab world and was founded in 1991 by a group of committed lay people:*Late Charles Helou, a former President of Lebanon... |
Private Privately held company A privately held company or close corporation is a business company owned either by non-governmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or company members which does not offer or trade its company stock to the general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the... |
Neutral Neutrality (philosophy) Neutrality is the absence of declared bias. In an argument, a neutral person will not choose a side.A Neutral country maintains political neutrality, a related but distinct concept.-What neutrality is not:... |