MTV

MTV (Murr TV) was founded in 1991 by Gabriel Murr, a Lebanese businessman and politician. He is the brother of late MP and Deputy Prime Minister Michel Murr Sr. In March 1995, MTV got its license under the Audiovisual Media Law and launched its local news broadcasts along with a number of political and socio-economic shows. MTV’s current CEO and chairman is Michel Gabriel Murr, Gabriel's son.

The TV station was shut down in 2002 as a result of Syrian pressure and intimidation. However, the legal argument raised was that it violated article 68 of the electoral law of 1999. This article bans propaganda during the election process, which the station had been found guilty of in favor of Murr who ran for Parliament in June 2002 against his niece, Myrna Murr (daughter of former Deputy Prime Minister Michel Murr Sr. and sister of then Interior Minister Elias Michel Murr) and won. The Lebanese security forces stormed the offices, roughed up the staff and ordered them to leave the offices. The station finally reopened its doors seven years later, on April 7, 2009, two months before the 2009 parliamentary elections. It is important to note that, back in 2005, the Lebanese parliament decided to amend article 68 and reopen the station after the Syrian troops withdrew from Lebanon and the anti-Syrian opposition coalition won a majority in Lebanon’s parliament, but the station remained closed.

The TV station’s editorial line is opposed to Hezbollah and the Syrian regime. MTV’s news director is Walid Abboud. The last five years have been marked by a legal dispute within the Murr family, opposing on the one hand the channel’s founder, Gabriel, and his son Jyad and daughter Carol, on the one hand, to his other son and current CEO, Michel, on the other hand. With the start of 2024, the Lebanese judiciary has seized assets of Gabriel, Jyad, and Carol Murr. The ruling covers properties, real estate, companies, and shares, substantiating embezzlement claims against them. In response, Jyad and Carol Murr accused their brother Michel Gabriel Murr of spreading fake news about their family, emphasizing that the asset seizure is a precautionary measure, not a final verdict. They intend to follow legal procedures to lift this precautionary seizure. Gabriel Murr launched a strong attack on his son Michel, accusing him of illegitimately taking shares from him and giving them to his children and inner circle. He alleges Michel embezzled around $500,000, was involved in internet theft from the state, and accuses him of corruption. However, he expressed frustration with Lebanon's legal system, suggesting it lacks integrity, with judges fearing media pressure and receiving bribes. It's also worth noting that Michel Murr's sons, Karim and Talal, are both shareholders in MTV according to the commercial registry.