Journalists in Lebanon: You Are Also Guilty!

There is an organic connection between Lebanese media in the post-civil war era, specifically after the approval of Law 94, and the current form of the Lebanese system. This connection has taken various forms, which will be discussed in a later article. However, in recent years, the media has blatantly abandoned the purpose for which it was created: to convey the truth and serve the public interest. The media has deviated from its role, and journalists have strayed from their duties, falling into the trap of fame and visibility, often complicit with the political class, serving the distorted system that controls the people. They have fallen into the trap of spectacle, undermining the foundations of the profession, with most journalists racing to highlight personal opinions at the expense of professionalism, content, and guests.

Thus, there are two main issues facing the media in Lebanon today. The first is its affiliation with certain political agendas for individuals, countries, or businessmen, most of whom are politically active or partners with politicians. This relationship is evident in the way most talk shows prioritize hosting politicians and businessmen under the pretext of holding them accountable, while urgent issues that directly impact people's lives, such as economic, social, environmental, and health problems, are largely absent from the screens. If these topics do get coverage, the content is often overshadowed by shouting matches and mutual accusations, which inevitably boost ratings and social media engagement, but divert attention from the primary goal: identifying the problem, proposing solutions, and following up. This connection is also visible not only in the omission of certain topics in favor of others but also in the way events are covered. There are many instances where media outlets exploit specific events and agendas by omitting crucial aspects of the event and focusing on what serves political agendas. This practice has not only misled public opinion but has also contributed, intentionally or unintentionally, to deepening divisions and playing on sectarian and confessional tensions. How many psychological, sectarian, and confessional walls have been built between people in different regions, or even within the same neighborhood, based on misleading information or the intentional leaking of content as "scoops," when responsible journalism should avoid such actions due to their negative impact on society, especially in exceptional circumstances, which are unfortunately frequent.

Media dependence takes many forms, and the root cause is funding, particularly in the absence of a safety net that should be provided to journalists for several reasons that will be addressed in future articles. It is important to note that Lebanon is not unique in its connection between media, politics, and money. This relationship exists even in Western democracies like Europe and the United States. However, one difference between these countries and Lebanon is the content provided by Western media, which maintains a minimum level of professionalism and quality in its reporting, a responsibility primarily on the journalist. This brings us to the second issue facing the media in Lebanon: the journalists themselves.

In recent years, especially with the outbreak of the October 17 uprising, the spread of the coronavirus, and the Beirut port explosion, the personalities of journalists have overshadowed the events themselves. Journalists have started playing the role of moralizers, dominating their talk shows with long-winded introductions, adopting a condescending tone, and displaying excessive, unjustified power and arrogance, far removed from the basics of journalism. While it is the journalist's job to raise public awareness in various fields, this should be done by providing accurate information in its full context, without prioritizing the host's persona over the content. This media arrogance is fueled by several factors, including fame, particularly on social media, the "ratings" trick, and the illusion of popularity, leading journalists to believe they themselves are the story in their articles and interviews. A quick look at talk shows, particularly on television, highlights this point. Journalists in Lebanon, in general, tend to prioritize spectacle over meaningful debate, especially in political programs, as if it were a contest between the guest and the host over who knows more, with the journalist not playing their natural role in the conversation but instead interrupting, offering their opinion, and debating the guest. The role of the journalist is to extract information from the guest on a particular topic without becoming a partner in or attached to that opinion. There is a common opinion that a journalist should play the role of "devil's advocate" in front of the guest, which is correct and natural. However, there is a fine line between playing that role and using it as a platform for personal opinion and self-promotion with a tone of arrogance.

The media in Lebanon serves the political class, becoming a tool for exchanging messages between leaders and politicians, particularly through news show introductions, which are inherently problematic. This is a Lebanese innovation that became popular, starting with a local station and followed by others. It is, by the way, nonexistent in the vocabulary of all media schools and in systems where rulers control the media.

If the media claims to be the voice of the citizen and a means of conveying reality, the space given to those responsible for our crises far exceeds the public's interest and needs. Programs that do address people's daily issues do so superficially and in a populist manner, lacking professional standards and meaningful content. These programs are also not far from political exploitation and serve as tools for the promotion of politicians and financial elites.

This article does not aim to personally insult journalists but rather to shed light on the media reality and open a serious discussion about the media sector. It calls, in the absence of a role for the National Media Council and the Press Syndicate, for the creation of a pressure group to push for reform and at least attempt some minimal change, out of compassion for journalism students who are suffering from the disconnection between academic materials and reality