Context

Media regulation in Lebanon has not seen any major legislative changes in the past 20 years. However, taking into account the complexity of the country’s history, civil society groups have been trying to raise awareness on the importance of transparency to respect democratic principles. Journalists, bloggers, lawyers, and activists are now lobbying to demand changes in the country’s laws, taking into account the evolution of society and technological progress, for media outlets to be more independent from economic and political ties.

History

The media landscape in Lebanon is far from simple. Its development was closely linked to political and sectarian differences, which caused journalistic content and messages to vary depending on the allegiance of the day; ideological and sectarian alignments perhaps being the basis and the main factor affecting journalistic content.

Society

Around 3.5 million Lebanese as well as an additional 2 million refugees and immigrants, mostly coming from neighboring Syria and Palestine, are living in the country. Representing about 4% of the size of Egypt (10,452 square kilometres), Lebanon counts more than 17 different denominations under both Christian and Muslim umbrellas and other minority religious affiliations.

Politics

Lebanon’s political system, classified as democratic and parliamentary, is in fact a hybrid regime. The need to respect “confessional balance” is often an excuse to deviate from general democratic principles and practices. Lebanon’s consociational regime was endorsed by the unwritten 1943 National Pact, which was set to share political power and executive positions between Christians and Muslims

Economy

Lebanon is a free-market economy, characterised by a strong laissez-faire tradition and unrestricted foreign investment. It also has the third highest debt-to-GDP ratio in the world, with most of the debt held internally by Lebanese banks.
Mostly service-oriented, the Lebanese economy relies mainly on the banking and tourism sectors as well as on international business relations.

Law

Laws regulating the media do exist in Lebanon; but they are often considered outdated, not adapted to modern realities, and therefore easily circumvented. Many of Lebanon’s lawmakers and media experts have been calling for a comprehensive update of media laws to protect freedom of the press, increase its independence and the transparency of the sector.

Technology

The Internet penetration rose dramatically in Lebanon, from 58% in 2013 to 91% in 2017 when mobile subscriptions account for 76.1% of this number. Nearly every Lebanese owns a smartphone in the country and 91% use Wi-Fi or data mobile service to connect to the Internet.