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2007 Assessment

Lebanon: Integrity Indicators Scorecard

Lebanon: Integrity Scorecard Report > Sub-Category: Media
Indicators		Score
5	Are media and free speech protected?	100
6	Are citizens able to form print media entities?	63
7	Are citizens able to form broadcast (radio and TV) media entities?	63
8	Can citizens freely use the Internet?	75
9	Are the media able to report on corruption?	83
10	Are the media credible sources of information?	50
11	Are journalists safe when investigating corruption?	100

Indicator and sub-Indicator Details

Are media and free speech protected?

5a: In law, freedom of the media is guaranteed.

Score:

YES

Comments: Article 13 of the Lebanese Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and opinion (oral, written), as well as freedom of the press, assembly, and association.

References: The Lebanese Constitution

5b: In law, freedom of speech is guaranteed.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: The Lebanese Constitution (Article 13)

Are citizens able to form print media entities?

6a: In practice, the government does not create barriers to form a print media entity.

Score:

100

Comments: Although the constitution provides for freedom of the press, and that compared to their Arab counterparts media are free in Lebanon, media institutions often face limitations by the government. Also, as the report of Rabih Haber higlights, the fact that media institutions are mostly owned by politicians automatically entails barriers to other media institutions.

References: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: "Arab Political Systems: Baseline Information and Reforms- Lebanon". [ LINK ]

Haber, Rabih: Paper on Media in Lebanon. [ LINK ]

Peer Review Comments: There has been no indication showing that the government has restricted the formation of media entities in recent years. However, under Syrian occupation, a television network was shut down altogether for being too liberal. And to date, some journalists are harassed (by phone or in writing) and even threatened, but not by the government.

6b: In law, where a print media license is necessary, there is an appeal mechanism if a license is denied or revoked.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: Internews: "Study of Media Laws and Policies in the Middle East and Maghreb", www.internews.org/arab_media_research/

6c: In practice, where necessary, citizens can obtain a print media license within a reasonable time period.

Score:

100

Comments: Media licensing is mostly controlled by political elites and licensing citeria are not objective. Therefore, the time will depend on the good will of political elites and on the person who makes the request.

References: Assaf, Sassin: "Comparative Report on the State of the Media in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco". Arab Center for the Development of Rule of Law and Integrity, May 2007.

Rabih Haber Paper on the Media in Lebanon [ LINK ]

6d: In practice, where necessary, citizens can obtain a print media license at a reasonable cost.

Score:

100

Comments: The cost of obtaining a media license will depend on the good will of political elites and on who makes the request.

References: Assaf, Sassin: "Comparative Report on the State of the Media in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco". Arab Center for the Development of Rule of Law and Integrity, May 2007.

Rabih Haber Paper on the Media in Lebanon [ LINK ]

Peer Review Comments: It also depends, as does the actual permission to establish a media entity, on the relationship between the party requesting the license and the ruling authorities.

Are citizens able to form broadcast (radio and TV) media entities?

7a: In practice, the government does not create barriers to form a broadcast (radio and TV) media entity.

Score:

100

Comments: All depends on political interference.

References: Assaf, Sassin: "Comparative Report on the State of the Media in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco". Arab Center for the Development of Rule of Law and Integrity, May 2007.

Rabih Haber Paper on the Media in Lebanon [ LINK ]

7b: In law, where a broadcast (radio and TV) media license is necessary, there is an appeal mechanism if a license is denied or revoked.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: Internews: "Study of Media Laws and Policies in the Middle East and Maghreb", www.internews.org/arab_media_research/

7c: In practice, where necessary, citizens can obtain a broadcast (radio and TV) media license within a reasonable time period.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Assaf, Sassin: "Comparative Report on the State of the Media in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco". Arab Center for the Development of Rule of Law and Integrity, May 2007.

Rabih Haber Paper on the Media in Lebanon [ LINK ]

7d: In practice, where necessary, citizens can obtain a broadcast (radio and TV) media license at a reasonable cost.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Assaf, Sassin: "Comparative Report on the State of the Media in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco". Arab Center for the Development of Rule of Law and Integrity, May 2007.

Rabih Haber Paper on the Media in Lebanon [ LINK ]

Can citizens freely use the Internet?

8a: In practice, the government does not prevent citizens from accessing content published online.

Score:

100

Comments: Internet use is relatively free and the Lebanese government does not intervene against it, but legally the use of Internet is subject to communication laws, competition law, consumers' protection, and commercial law.

References: Human Rights Watch: "The Internet in the Middle East and North Africa: Free Expression and Censorship" [ LINK ]

and

Intellectual Property Regulations in Lebanon [ LINK ]

8b: In practice, the government does not censor citizens creating content online.

Score:

100

References: Human Rights Watch: "The Internet in the Middle East and North Africa: Free Expression and Censorship" [ LINK ]

and

Intellectual Property Regulations in Lebanon [ LINK ]

Are the media able to report on corruption?

9a: In law, it is legal to report accurate news even if it damages the reputation of a public figure.

Score:

YES

References: Lebanese Constitution (Art 13)

Assaf, Sassin: "Comparative Report on the State of the Media in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco" Arab Center for the Development of Rule of Law and Integrity, May 2007.

9b: In practice, the government or media owners/distribution groups do not encourage self-censorship of corruption-related stories.

Score:

100

Comments: Article 13 of the constitution stipulates unconditional freedom of information/press in Lebanon. However, as higlighted in the report of Sassin Assaf, there is a contradiction between the constitution and other laws in place on censorship in the Lebanese media. Although Lebanon's media are considered to be free in comparison to their Arab counterparts, self-censorship is common especially to facts that would involve secterian issues.

References: Assaf, Sassin: "Comparative Report on the State of the Media in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco" Arab Center for the Development of Rule of Law and Integrity, May 2007.

Common knowledge

Peer Review Comments: Also, and as previously indicated, most media (print, radio & TV) are politically-owned, and it would therefore be highly unlikely that they highlight corruption related to the political leaders owning them.

9c: In practice, there is no prior government restraint (pre-publication censoring) on publishing corruption-related stories.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Assaf, Sassin: "Comparative Report on the State of the Media in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco" Arab Center for the Development of Rule of Law and Integrity, May 2007.

Are the media credible sources of information?

10a: In law, print media companies are required to disclose their ownership.

Score:

YES

Comments: By law, print media companies are not required to disclose ownership. On the other hand, the Broadcast Law introduces such limitations.

References: Lebanese Press Law

10b: In law, broadcast (radio and TV) media companies are required to disclose their ownership.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: The Lebanese Broadcast Law

10c: In practice, journalists and editors adhere to strict, professional practices in their reporting.

Score:

100

Comments: As media outlets are owned by political elites, it is common that journalists do not always abide by ethical standards while reporting, especially when journalists are sometimes hired on the basis of patronage and nepotism (not meritocracy).

References: Assaf, Sassin: "Comparative Report on the State of the Media in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco" Arab Center for the Development of Rule of Law and Integrity, May 2007.

Common knowledge

10d: In practice, during the most recent election, political parties or independent candidates received fair media coverage.

Score:

100

Comments: Media outlets are owned by political groups, thus during elections media were used as a tool of campaigning, not giving equal opportunities to all candidates. On the 2005 parliamentary elections, the observatory report of the European Commission in Lebanon states that "Lebanese media, both public and private, gave an extensive coverage of the electoral campaign. The coverage was, however, unbalanced, and did not offer the same opportunities to all candidates."

References: Assaf, Sassin: "Comparative Report on the State of the Media in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco" Arab Center for the Development of Rule of Law and Integrity, May 2007.

European Union Elections' Observation Mission: "Parliamentary Elections: Final Report" Lebanon, 2005.

Peer Review Comments: This affects naturally most of all independent candidates, who have no political patron.

10e: In practice, political parties and candidates have equitable access to state-owned media outlets.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Assaf, Sassin: "Comparative Report on the State of the Media in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco" Arab Center for the Development of Rule of Law and Integrity, May 2007.

and

European Union Elections' Observation Mission: "Parliamentary Elections: Final Report" Lebanon, 2005.

Peer Review Comments: There is only one state-owned television (versus seven other local TV stations belonging to various political elites), and the editorial line very much depends on the political orientation of the minister of Information.

Are journalists safe when investigating corruption?

11a: In practice, in the past year, no journalists investigating corruption have been imprisoned.

Score:

YES

$Scoring Criteria :: YES: A YES score is earned if there were no journalists imprisoned related to work covering corruption during the study period. A YES score is positive. NO: A NO score is earned if any journalist was jailed because of his/her work covering corruption during the study period. The causal relationship between the official charges and the journalist\'s work may not be explicit, however the burden of proof here is low. If it seems likely that the journalist was imprisoned due to his or her work, then the indicator is scored as a NO. Corruption is defined broadly to include any abuses of power, not just the passing of bribes.$

Comments:

References: Researcher's expertise; No reports were found in the media.

11b: In practice, in the past year, no journalists investigating corruption have been physically harmed.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: Researcher's expertise; No reports were found in the media.

11c: In practice, in the past year, no journalists investigating corruption have been killed.

Score:

YES

$Scoring Criteria :: YES: A YES score is earned if there were no documented cases of journalists being killed because of their work covering corruption-related issues during the study period. A YES score is positive. NO: A NO score is earned if there were any documented cases where a journalist was killed in relation to his or her work covering corruption-related issues in the study period. The relationship between a mysterious death and an individual\'s work may not be clear, however the burden of proof here is low. If it is a reasonable guess that a person was killed in relation to his or her work on corruption issues, then the indicator is scored as a NO. Corruption is defined broadly to include any abuses of power, not just the passing of bribes.$

Comments:

References: Researcher's expertise; No reports were found in the media.