{"id":5127,"date":"2012-05-27T23:32:35","date_gmt":"2012-05-27T23:32:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/?p=5127"},"modified":"2014-07-11T17:51:37","modified_gmt":"2014-07-11T17:51:37","slug":"whos-who-on-lebanons-arabic-tv-channels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/whos-who-on-lebanons-arabic-tv-channels\/","title":{"rendered":"Who’s Who on Lebanon’s Arabic TV Channels"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Lebanese TV channels scene is almost as diverse as the Lebanese society itself. <\/strong><\/div>\n
But seldom do the programs of these channels reflect the deep cultural and intellectual wealth of the country—Call that the “new reality” of TV channels in Lebanon, or maybe just Lebanon<\/a>‘s semi-official “Reality TV” channels.<\/strong><\/div>\n
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Today’s post will explore the reasons why it is the case, while offering you a “Who’s Who” scenic glimpse of the Lebanese Arabic TV channels…<\/strong><\/div>\n
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\u2666 LBC and MBC:<\/span>\u00a0“Kissing Cousins” of the Middle East Channels:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
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In\u00a0Lebanon<\/strong>, the\u00a0LBC\u00a0<\/strong>was launched shortly after the Saudi\/Lebanese-funded\u00a0MBC<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0started broadcasting, <\/strong>some twenty years ago.
\nIts views are usually staunchly\u00a0opposed to those of the already mentioned\u00a0Al Manar<\/strong><\/a>, the openly pro-Iran<\/strong> channel.<\/div>\n
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LBC’s owner, Lebanese Pierre Daher<\/strong>,\u00a0has for some time concluded business ventures with two major Saudi-controled groups: The London-based newspaper \u0627\u0644\u062d\u064a\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0627\u0629<\/strong>\u00a0(“Al-Hayat<\/strong>“, meaning “Life<\/strong>” in Arabic), and the Rotana Group.<\/strong><\/div>\n
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In more recent years, Daher was summoned by a host of Christian Lebanese groups to surrender the reins of LBC to the well-known Lebanese politician\u00a0Samir Geagea<\/strong>,\u00a0after the release of the latter from prison thanks to “\u062b\u0648\u0631\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0623\u0631\u0632<\/strong>” (the “Cedar Revolution.<\/strong>“) But to this day, Daher is adamant in his refusal to do so.Just like MBC, its “Saudi cousin”, which co-features “Arabs Got Talent<\/strong>“, LBC’s programs heavily rely on “light entertainment.”<\/div>\n
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One such “light entertainment<\/strong>” programs airing jointly on MBC and LBC is “Arab Idol<\/strong>“, which is sometimes mocked by Facebook<\/strong> and Youtube<\/strong> critics as “\u0627\u0644\u0635\u0646\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0631\u0628\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u064a<\/strong>“, taking the word “idol<\/strong>” in its quite literal sense, which in this case would not refer to the young promising singers competing at the show, but rather to the ancient “totemic idols<\/strong>” (plural:\u00a0\u0627\u0644\u0623\u0635\u0646\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0627\u0645<\/strong>) worshipped in the Arab Peninsula before the advent of Islam!<\/p>\n

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\u2666 Future TV:\u00a0Back to the “Futile” 2<\/span>:<\/strong><\/div>\n
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Also opposite to the proselytizing media outlook of Al Manar is “Future TV.<\/strong>” It is ideologically close to the political movement headed by\u00a0Saad Hariri<\/strong>, the younger son of the late Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.<\/strong>\u00a0Saad also controls the Lebanese newspaper \u0627\u0644\u0645\u064f\u0633\u062a\u0642\u0628\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0644<\/strong> (“Al Mustaqbal<\/strong>“, which you won’t be surprised to learn that it simply means “Future<\/strong>” in Arabic.)<\/div>\n
It was Future TV who had launched “Super Star<\/a><\/strong>“,\u00a0eight years ago, which would then be bought\u00a0by the two “kissing cousins”,\u00a0MBC<\/strong> and LBC,<\/strong> to be rebaptized “Arab Idol<\/strong>.”<\/div>\n
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\u2666 Al Jaras TV: “Rings a Bell”?<\/span>:<\/strong><\/div>\n
Another Lebanese channel is\u00a0\u0627\u0644\u062c\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0631\u0633 <\/strong>(“Al Jaras<\/strong>“, Arabic for “Bell<\/strong>“), famous for offering nothing but “Reality TV<\/strong>” shows.<\/div>\n
Al Jaras<\/strong> was launched by\u00a0Nidhal Al Ahmadia<\/strong>, Lebanon’s shrewd\u00a0businesswoman. She is often portrayed as the archnemesis of Lebanese “diva-wannabe”\u00a0Haifa Wehbe<\/a><\/strong>…<\/div>\n
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\u2666 Orange TV:\u00a0A Network of “General Content”<\/span>:<\/strong><\/div>\n
Orange TV<\/strong>\u00a0is the property of a Maronite, former army chief of staff and ex-Prime Minister\u00a0General Michel Aoun<\/strong>. Unlike the LBC and the Samir Geagea current, Michel Aoun maintains a very close relationship with\u00a0Hezbollah<\/strong>.<\/div>\n
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\u2666\u00a0Lebanon’s MTV<\/span><\/strong>:<\/div>\n
Lebanon<\/strong>\u00a0also boasts its own\u00a0MTV<\/strong>. But unlike the famous American channel, the “M<\/strong>” stands for “\u0627\u0644\u0645\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0631<\/strong>“, or “Murr<\/strong>“, namely the family who owns it.<\/div>\n
A high-profile relative of the Murr family is\u00a0Nayla Tueni<\/strong>, of the Tueni<\/strong> family, founders and still publishers of the well-known Lebanese daily newspaper \u0627\u0644\u0646\u064e\u0651\u0647\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0627\u0631<\/strong> (“An-Nahar<\/strong>“, meaning “The Day<\/strong>“)<\/div>\n