Survey: Lebanese media lack objectivity

While we wait for Rice and Sarkozy to issue their much anticipated statement on the Lebanese presidential election, check out this report from Now Lebanon on the lack of objectivity in Lebanese media.

While there's nothing groundbreaking in this report, I was most amused by how OTV's news director justified his station's obsession with Aoun.

But Jean Aziz, news manager at OTV, defended the channel’s heavy coverage of Aoun, telling NOW Lebanon, “We work with news as news and reality as reality. We have one criterion to deal with the news: how applicable it is to the truth.”

Citing France as an example, Aziz said that OTV’s philosophy follows the example of Western media and its “give the audience what it wants” approach to the news. He argued that other channels give certain “less popular” personalities the same exposure as those who enjoy broader public support. Aziz contended that OTV deals with personalities “according to their size, weight and influence,” evidently reflecting the FPM’s belief that Aoun and the opposition, as opposed to March 14, represent the true majority in Lebanon.

According to a study cited by the report, LBC is the second most "neutral" station in Lebanon (after ANB). The least objective are Hizbullah's al-Manar, New TV, OTV and NBN – all pro-"opposition".

Future TV is trying, through its new Future News channel, to appear more balanced. Having watched a couple of its newscasts, and noting that the same people who ran its news department are running the current channel's content, I don't see that happening any time soon.

It's too bad. Lebanon could be a much better country if the media broke from the "follow the leader" mentality.

Comments

[Fawzan]

Nonesense!

Now on to the ill-action. Did anyone think that the delays maybe because the real envoy being sent from Damascus is finding it hard to get through to the M14 members with his package due to the security drawn around the Hotel?

[Fawzan]

I re-read my comment and thought I need to explain. The "nonsense" is directed at Jean Aziz not AK. I just needed to clarify

[Super Dude]

I thought they left the hotel.

No really, I read a news snippet 2 weeks ago about that, and I was amazed they would actually decide to leave this soon.

As for the media, there are too many outlets, to cater for all tastes, so objectivity? HAHA.

[Mark]

Of the many stark differences between western democracies and Lebanon's psuedo-democracy, the media is an interesting one. In the US, the media is the bane of the politicians, while in Lebanon, the media is owned by the politicians.

[Joseywales]

Jean Aziz: "...one criterion to deal with the news: how applicable it is to the truth"

This is of course laughable.

The "truth" as determined by Aziz or as dictated by Aoun?. The statement is crap either way.

As a journalist, his reporting is supposed to lead to some notion of "truth", not "we know the truth" let's see how the "news" fits that.

Also, the French and the American media are notoriously biased, so no shining examples there.

I think that all French press workers including journalists must belong to ONE (state connected?) union.

And in the US 90% of the Washington press corps vote Democrat, same with TV.

Bias is OK, dishonesty is not. My main beef with Leb media is they don't address the right issues, nor ask the right question.

Look at Harb's ( a prez contender my ASS) statement today, on Naharnet, about "tawteen". What the hell is he talking about??

[Bad Vilbel]

I went off on a rant when I read Harb's statement. This a guy we're supposed to want as president? Recycling the old threats and conspiracy theories from the 1970s? No wonder this country ain't moving forward any time soon. We're STILL stuck in the 1960s and 70s. And this applies to both the M14 and M8 crowd.

Can we move on and start talking about the issues of the 21st century? Hell, I'd be happy even discussing the issues of the 1980s at this point!

[Bad Vilbel]

Uh oh. Is Romeo back?

Your reading abilities must be really bad, Romeo. The NOW Lebanon article blasted both sides equally, including Future and their new News-only station.

[Umm K.]

Romeo lost his rights to post here after he repeated called readers names (i.e. dickheads) for not applauding his so-called wonderful academic records. I hope no one misses his brilliant commentary!

[fubar]

Speaking of surveys, "and the survey says"...

14 Dec.(AKI) - Iranian citizens claim their country has a right to possess nuclear technology, but they do not feel satisfied with the current regime, and would be willing to topple it, provided no foreign intervention takes place.

. . .

Adnkronos International (AKI) has obtained the entire text and results of the polls conducted inside Iran.

The polls were conducted in five major Iranian cities (Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, Mashad and Tabriz) with the help of students.

The sampled population included 320 men and 280 women between the ages of 20 and 60, belonging to different social classes.

"The situation in the country has worsened in every aspect, inflation has risen, unemployment is rife and personal liberties have been limited," an unnamed Arab diplomat told AKI.

Seventy-eight percent of Iranians interviewed support the right to possess nuclear technology, while 72 percent support it when it comes to nuclear military use.

On the other hand, only 46 percent says that the current regime should have a nuclear weapon and only 10 percent believes in the sincerity in government leaders when they claim Iran's nuclear programme does not have military aims.

52 percent of Iranians interviewed believed that Europe will eventually come to accept Iran as having a nuclear arsenal.

Nothing but contradictory are the responses about the possibility of a military intervention to stop the alleged nuclear pursuit of weapons.

Only 43 percent of the interviewed said that they are ready to give their approval to a foreign intervention, but 71 percent of them believe that the intervention would obtain approval from the majority of Iranians.

Few Iranians feel satisifed with the actual regime, as figures of support reached only 32 percent.

On the other hand, 67 percent are said to be ready to participate in a 'non-violent revolution' to put an end to the Islamic Republic.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's foreign policy also seems to be disliked, as only 6 percent of Iranians share Iran's regional policy, while 55 percent oppose the help offered to Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

Support for Lebanese Hezbollah is 32 percent, while 70 percent oppose the destruction of Israel.

The Iranians interviewed are divided over the role of the Western powers. For 52 percent of Iranians, the Europeans would oppose a process of real democratization, while for 54 percent of those interviewed, the US could contribute to setting up a new democracy on the ruins of the current religious regime.

***********

52% say Europeans would oppose a process of real democratization (Unsurprisingly, 52% also believe that Europe will come to accept Iran as having a nuclear arsenal)

54% say the US could contribute to setting up a new democracy (But what about Death to America?)

You might think that the Iranians are actually astute observers to doubt European sincerity. You would be wrong. The number is most likely skewed by a deep distrust of and hatred of the Brits, particularly among the older generations. Europeans equals Brits to many Iranians, or at the very least includes the Brits. In any event, their historic distrust leads them to an accurate conclusion.

Only 32% support Lebanese Hezbollah which is not surprisingly the same number that support the Islamic regime.

Not that anyone should hold their breath waiting, but what happens to Lebanon when Iran gets tired of the Islamic Revolution and the funding for Lebanon's Hezbollah dries up?

Just something to think about...

[fubar]

"We're sorry, your comment has not been published because TypePad's antispam filter has flagged it as potential comment spam."

Alas, I am rejected.

Lin Aijia, la diosa última...
Hasta luego, inshallah.

[cfw]

actually, the article (and study) show that ANB is the most neutral. LBC is in second place.

[AK]

you're right cfw. will correct. thanks.

[Umm K./Lin Aijia]

I'm still here Fubar and not going anywhere! Dragging around the soon-to-be boy #2 just makes me more feisty with nasty people on this thing :)