Future TV

Future TV was founded by former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and received its broadcast licence on March 21, 1997. The TV station used to own Zein TV, a channel launched in 2001 and targeting a young adult audience. It aired a wide variety of entertainment programs for youth aged 15-35, addressing Internet, fashion and music, in addition to newscast. Zein TV was shut down on February 14, 2005, upon Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s assassination. On December 9, 2007, Future TV launched the Future News channel, using the premises of Zein TV. Four years later, Future News was shut down and merged with the main Future TV channel due to the station's financial crisis; a large number of positions at both channels were subsequently eliminated.
On May 7, 2008, conflict between Hezbollah and the Amal Movement supporters and Future Movement supporters erupted in Beirut and other Mount Lebanon areas. It is considered the most dangerous and violent conflict since the end of the Lebanese civil war. Pro-Hezbollah protesters stormed the Future TV headquarters in Beirut and the channel was forced to stop broadcast for several days.
Future TV’s political position is that of the Future movement led by Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Newscasts are broadcast in Arabic but news briefs are also aired in English, French and Armenian. Future TV’s General Manager is Ramzi Jbeily and its news director is Nadim Koteich.
Audience Share
12.6%
Ownership Type
Private
Geographic Coverage
National
Content Type
Free content
Media Companies / Groups
Future Television SAL
Ownership Structure
Future Television SAL has more than 70 shareholders. The Hariri family controls directly 59.14% of the shares, divided among Prime Minister Saad Hariri, his brothers Ayman, Bahaa, Fahd, his aunt MP Bahia Hariri, his stepmother Nazek Hariri, and his cousin Walid Hariri. Close allies of the Hariri family, i.e. Saad Hariri's advisor Hani Hammoud own 10%, as well as the Chammaa family, involved in several other ventures with the Hariri family, which owns 10%. Other minor shareholders include business partners such as Bechara Nammour, Hariri advisors Salim Diab and Nadim Munla, a number of bankers inlcuding Francois Bassil and Farid Raphael, as well as sharelholders linked to a number of Lebanese politicians, including MP Anwar Al-Khalil, former Deputy Prime Minister Samir Mokbel, Future Movement MP and Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk, and former Minister Youssef Takla.
Voting Rights
Missing Data
Individual Owner
Group / Individual Owner
Others
Other minor shareholders include business partners such as Bechara Nammour (0.02%), Hariri advisors Salim Diab (0.04%), Nadim Munla (0.04%), a number of bankers including Samir Hammoud (5.17%), Francois Bassil (0.08%) and Farid Raphael (1%), as well as sharelholders linked to a number of Lebanese politicians, including MP Anwar Al-Khalil (0.08%), former Deputy Prime Minister Samir Mokbel (0.4%), and former Minister Youssef Takla.
General Information
Founding Year
1997
Founder
Rafik Hariri, Prime Minister (1992-2008; 2000-2004), assassinated on 14 February 2005.
Ceo
Hani Hammoud
Editor-In-Chief
Nadim Koteich (News Director)
Other Important People
General Manager of the TV station and an official signatory.
Future Movement MP and Interior Minister and owns a symbolic share of 0.004%.
Contact
White House building
Spears street
Sanayeh sector
Beirut P.O.Box 13-6052
Lebanon
Phone: + 961 (1) 370700
Financial Information
Revenue (in Mill. $)
Missing Data
Operating Profit (in Mill. $)
Missing Data
Advertising (in % of total funding)
Missing Data
Market Share
Missing Data
Further Information
Headlines
Chidiac, M. (2014). La television mise à nu. L'Orient des Livres. (Available in French only).
Meta Data
Audience share for TV stations is based on IPSOS data (Q1 and Q2 of 2018).