Employees of unlicensed media confront government

The employees of unlicensed audio-visual media announced on August 4 plans to arrange nation-wide sit-ins to confront the Lebanese government’s decisions to shut down stations, which deprived hundreds of employees of their livelihoods. The committee of the audio-visual media workers agreed that popular action was the only way to stop the government’s decision to shut down unlicensed radio and televisions stations.

However, employees expressed fear that the follow-up committee would not support their cause effectively after half of its members—Voice of Lebanon, Sawt al Shaab, and Manar—were granted licensing while the others—UTV, NTV and ICN—were not.

Voice of Lebanon general manager and follow-up committee member Simon Khazen responded by stating that all the members, whether licensed or unlicensed were, "in the same boat."

He called on all employees in the sector to stand by their colleagues, maintaining that, "The time might come when it will be the turn of other employees."

Saadallah Mazraani, a communist party political bureau member, accused the press association of failing to support the media, unlike the journalists union.

Sina Khalil, one employee of NTV, asked who will take responsibility for "thousands of jobless people who have been thrown into the street."

She also asked "would they give us another job ?" Another person said sarcastically, "Let them put me in jail. At least I would get some food."