Lebanon

Roundtable on Media Viability in Lebanon. January 18, 2023.

Lebanon country report

The following draft report includes policy recommendations on media viability based on a national consultation in Lebanon convened by GFMD in partnership with UNESCO's Regional Bureau for Education in Beirut, Samir Kassir Foundation’s (Skeyes) Center for Media and Cultural Freedom, and Maharat Foundation.

READ THE FULL REPORT ON THE LEBANON CONSULTATIONS HERE

Agenda

Date: January 18, 2023

Time: 09:00 - 14:00

Venue: UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education in Beirut, Bir Hassan, facing Cité sportive Camille-Chamoun, Beirut 11 - 5244, Lebanon

Organisers:

• UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education in Beirut
• Global for Media Development (GFMD)
• Samir Kassir Foundation’s (Skeyes) Center for Media and Cultural Freedom
• Maharat Foundation

The roundtable is held in English without translation.

It is advisable to wear masks for the safety of all amid the recent resurgence in covid and flu cases.

Opening remarks by conference organisers (09:30 - 09:35)

Roundtable 1 - Media viability: challenges and opportunities for the Lebanese media sector (09:35 - 11:00)

Moderator: Roula Mikhael, Maharat Foundation

Format: Contributions from UNESCO, Maharat Foundation, and the Samir Kassir Foundation followed by an open discussion.

Coffee break (11:00 - 11:15)

Roundtable 2 - Role of non-media stakeholders: donor-media relations, big tech, and public sector reforms (11:15 - 12:15)

Moderator: Ayman Mhanna, Samir Kassir Foundation’s (SKeyes) Center for Media and Cultural Freedom Format: Open discussion between donors, media support organisations, media organisations, tech industry representatives, and government institutions.

Policy recommendations for media viability in Lebanon (12:15 - 12:55)

Moderator: George Awad, UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education in Beirut

Format: Each participant will contribute recommendations on how to implement one or two of the policy options that have been discussed to improve media viability in Lebanon.

Conclusion (12:55 - 13:00)

Lunch (13:00 - 14:00)

Literature review

In addition to the general literature on media viability, including UNESCO's latest research and reports, the consultation is informed by the following reports and studies specific to the Lebanese context:

Regional and Lebanese resources on media viability

Media Viability Indicators Assessment Lebanon by Deutsche-Welle Akademie (7 July 2021)

Report: “Review of the Funding Landscape for Media Development Actors in Lebanon” (GFMD, SKeyes Center and IMS, 15 February 2022)

Report: "Sustainabilty and journalism support in Lebanon" (GFMD, 16 March 2021)

Report: "Independent Media in Lebanon: An Economic Outlook" (Skeyes, April 2021)

Coordinating Media Assistance and Journalism Support Efforts report, (GFMD, SKeyes Center and IMS). Final version published in November 2022.

Research Study: “Media and Information Landscape assessment in Lebanon” (Maharat Foundation, October 2021)

Building Regional Strategies for Media Development in the Middle East and North Africa (CIMA, March 2022)

MENA: No Media Sustainability without Media Accountability (2021)

GFMD Report: Sustainability and journalism support in Lebanon (16 March 2021)

"Pour protéger les journalistes, il faut lutter contre l’impunité" (L'Orient-Le Jour, 4 mai 2021)

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