Government to clamp down on television immorality
Lebanon, Culture, 12/11/1997

The confrontation has been brewing for some time now between the government and local television stations. It culminated Wednesday with a meeting of the central security council that lay the ground for censorship of television programs and banning of live political shows.

The meeting, headed by Interior Minister Michel Murr, followed a series of meetings last week between Information Minister Bassem Sabee and media officials in which the airing of controversial political programs or programs with explicit sex scenes was discussed.

"We will not allow television to be a place for some people to discuss whatever they feel like talking about," Murr said after Wednesday's meeting. Movies with sex scenes aired before midnight would also be banned, he added.

Lebanese clergymen have been complaining about "immorality on television" and urging the government to take measures against them. Films and advertisements with "indecent" scenes, they complained, were being aired at inopportune times when children were still watching.

The campaign against television stations has sharpened recently with the broadcast of several episodes of talk shows which discussed controversial subjects such as pre-marital sex, incest, homosexuality and rape.

A program broadcast by Tele Liban, the state-run television station, was put off the air because of an episode in which "the body" was the topic of discussion.

Such issues are particularly embarrassing to the government when they are broadcast to parts of the Arab world via satellite. Two Lebanese stations, the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI) and Future TV, have attained licenses for satellite broadcasts.

Not as embarrassing as political programs, though, where members of the opposition are often hosted for a live interview by television stations.

On Sunday, Murr Television hosted Amin Gemayel, Lebanon's self-exiled former President, for a live interview from France. Gemayel criticised the post-war government and claimed Prime Minister Rafik Hariri had offered him $30 million during his presidential term, in return for appointing him (Hariri) as prime minister. Gemayel was president from 1982-88.

Murr TV is planning a live interview with the exiled ex-army commander General Michel Aoun this Sunday. Aoun led a "war of liberation" against Syrian troops in Lebanon in 1989. He was ousted by the Syrians in 1990 and has been living in France since then.

Following Wednesday's meeting of the central security council, there has been media speculation that the Aoun interview would be banned.

Previous Stories:
  The cabinet's decides: the army will act , and radio shut-down   (11/13/1997)
  Demonstrator killed in Tripoli in showdown over media closure   (9/22/1997)
  Samaha calls on authorities to restore New Television license   (9/1/1997)

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