Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation

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Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation
LBC Logo
Type Broadcast and television network
Country Lebanon
Availability Lebanon; also available in Arab World, Europe, Sub Saharian Africa region, America, and Australia
Founded by Bashir Gemayel, Lebanese Forces
Owner Pierre Daher
Launch date August 23rd, 1985 (television network)
Website
LBC website

The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (Arabic: المؤسسة اللبنانية للإرسال‎), 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 (Arabic: الفضائية اللبنانية‎ LBC Sat) covering the Middle East. It now has several channels covering Europe, America,Australia, and Sub Saharian Africa region.

Contents

[edit] Detailed History

[edit] Beginnings

The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) was launched over the airwaves of Lebanon on August 23, 1985. It was originally the brainchild of Bashir Gemayel, leader of the Lebanese Forces. At the time, the station generally voiced the opinions of the Lebanese Christian street, more specifically that of the Lebanese Forces[1]. The Lebanese civil war was at that time ten years old and any solution still seemed distant. Lebanon was characterized then by political unrest, military conflagration, and popular despair.[2]

[edit] Civil War Coverage

During the Civil war era, LBC was considered a tool used by the LF, thus it became a constant target for the Lebanese Forces opponents. In 1989, the chaos in Lebanon took a turn for the worse after LF refused to comply to the Lebanese army commander General Michel Aoun, who then declared the war of liberation. The LBC premises were periodically targeted by the heavy shelling which raged uninterruptedly for six months. Throughout that time, the staff moved all the equipment to the basement where they set up makeshift offices. During fierce fighting in 1990, the LBC offices were again targeted and this time received direct hits during artillery duels. In addition to the shelling, LBC suffered the loss of one of their cameramen, who was shot dead while on-duty.

[edit] Post-War Era

The Lebanese civil war ended in 1990 with the signing of the Taef agreement. The Lebanese Forces signed the agreement and held positions in the government, but still maintained an anti-Syrian position which was reflected in the LBC's news reporting. In July 23, 1992, the Lebanese government compelled LBC to evacuate its Jounieh premises without prior warning or notifications, before governmental troops took over the building. The station moved to Adma, several kilometers away. On March 23, 1994, the Lebanese government ordered the dissolution of the Lebanese Forces. And on April 21, 1994, Samir Geagea, leader of the party, was arrested. The ownership of the company was officially transferred to Pierre Daher, a co-founder who managed the station from its beginning. During the Syrian presence in Lebanon, the LBC political stance reflected the influences of its shareholders who varied throughout this period. LBCSAT, a free satellite channel, was launched in April 1996. The new channel was a success, especially to the Lebanese diaspora, disseminated throughout the world. LBCSAT has been broadcasting 22 hours a day since January 1997 and continues to rank first among stations in the Middle East. Shortly thereafter, within a period of three months, LBC launched three new encrypted and free-to-air channels: LBC Europe, LBC America, LBC Australia, and LBC Sub Saharian Africa. Today, all these channels broadcast around the clock. In December 2003, Alwaleed Bin Talal , the Saudi prince, bought all stocks of LBC Sat and 48 % of the local channel. [3]

[edit] LBC Sat And Al Hayat Merger

At the end of the year 2002, LBC Al-Fadha'iya Al-Lubnaniya (Arabic: الفضائية اللبنانية‎ LBC Sat) and the London-based Al Hayat newspaper owned by Saudis, merged their news programs[4]. Today, LBC Al-Fadha'iya Al-Lubnaniya (Arabic: الفضائية اللبنانية‎ LBC Sat) daily news report is called the "Al Hayat-LBC news report".

[edit] Current ownership battle

After the Cedar Revolution and the release of Samir Geagea, the current leader (as of 18 Feb 2008) of the Lebanese Forces, the party started reestablishing itself and demanded that Daher surrender ownership of the TV station back to the party. Daher refused to do so, saying that "he will not allow the station to be subservient to a political party."[5].

On November 16, 2007, hundreds of Lebanese Forces supporters gathered in front of LBC television in protest of the decision to cancel an interview with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea.[6] The interview was called off, after Geagea filed a lawsuit against Daher seeking to repossess LBC and restore its ownership back to the LF. The case is still pending in court.

[edit] LBC Brands

LBC Brands
LBC Brands

LBC Group of companies completes 22 years in operation:

I- LBC LOCAL or LBC International: The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) was launched 23 August 1985. LBC is the first private TV station to be launched in Lebanon and a pioneer in the region. LBC Local or LBC International is by far the uncontested leader in the Lebanese market with an aprox 60% MS.

• Lebanese Youth: (Primary target) • Young Lebanese Family: (Secondary Target)

II- LBC SAT: • Launched in 1996, LBC Sat, widely know as LBC Al-Fadha'iya Al-Lubnaniya (Arabic: الفضائية اللبنانية), is an international version of LBC targeted to Lebanese citizens in the Arab World.

III- LBC EUROPE: • LBC Europe is an international version of LBC targeted to Lebanese citizens in Europe.

IV- LBC AMERICA • LBC America is an international version of LBC targeted to Lebanese citizens in America.

V- LBC AUSTRALIA • LBC Australia is an international version of LBC targeted to Lebanese citizens in Australia.

VI- LBC SUB SAHARIAN AFRICA • LBC Sub Saharian Africa is an international version of LBC targeted to Lebanese citizens in the Sub Saharian Africa region.

VII- LBC NAGHAM: • Established in early 2003, ‘NAGHAM’ means ‘tune’ as the brand name reflects, it is on of the first specialized music channels launched in the region. • LBC Nagham is a 24 FTA channel that caters for the Arab Youth with music interest. Filling a strategic consumer need gap, LBC Nagham, depends on a dual Arabic & English exclusive musical offering.

[edit] Popular Programs

LBC has produced many popular programs including Star Academy Arab World, Ya Atel Ya Ma'toul (Arabic version of Greed), Miss Lebanon, Survivor Middle East, El Wadi (Arabic version of The Farm) and the most recent one is The Perfect Bride, although there's Mission Fashion released right after Star Academy 4 during the month of April. Deal or No Deal is currently a big hit, despite the first season already ended.

Its most famous talk show is Kalem Al-Ness (Arabic for "The people's words") hosted by Marcel Ghanem. The show, which originally aired on C33, moved to LBC after C33 was shut down in the mid-1990s. Another famous show is BASMATWATAN (a pun in Arabic for either "The smiles of the Nation" or "When the nation died", depending on how people see the joke of this title), a sketch-comedy show that deals with politics and current events.

[edit] LBCI personalities

[edit] Past

[edit] Present

[edit] References

  1. ^ Lebanese Forces Official Website Institutions
  2. ^ LBC Website [1]
  3. ^ MiddleEastEvents.com - Saudi’s Prince Alwaleed Buys 49% Stake In Lbcsat From Sheikh Saleh Kamel Of Art
  4. ^ First merger of TV, print press in Middle East. - Xinhua News Agency - HighBeam Research
  5. ^ Lebanonwire.com | LBC, Lebanese Forces on verge of separation over shares, politics
  6. ^ Lebanon news - NOW Lebanon :: If not now, when -Lebanese Forces supporters denounce Geagea interview cancellation

[edit] External links