National Media Council to Discuss Media Coverage, Threatens to Shut Down Violators

The National Media Council (NMC) will demand the Lebanese broadcasting audio-visual channels to refrain from creating sectarian strife and threatening the national security, local newspapers reported on Wednesday.

The NMC is scheduled to hold a meeting on Friday to tackle the uncontrolled broadcasting by some channels that failed to commit to the legal boundaries of the audio-visual law.

According to An Nahar newspaper, the channels that fail to commit to these boundaries will be halted from broadcasting for a whole day as a warning and will also be demanded to apologize for their coverage of the news in the country.

Ministerial sources told the daily that two television channels exceeded the acceptable limits and are threatening the civil peace by their “irresponsible coverage of the events in an attempt to get uncertain and incredible scoops.”

As Safir newspaper reported that LBCI and al-Jadeed channels, in particular, will be demanded to apologize for the “errors committed over the coverage of the case of the 11 kidnapped Lebanese” pilgrims in Syria.

“If the two channels failed to meet the demand of the NMC, then the board will urge the cabinet to halt their broadcasting for one day by the Telecommunications Ministry,” the daily reported.

President Michel Suleiman contacted on Tuesday NMC’s President Abdul Hadi Mahfouz, voicing his full support for all the decision adopted by the council.

LBCI and al-Jadeed channels have been racing to cover the case of the 11 men kidnapped in Syria since May 22. The two channels have even entered the city were the abducted men are and interviewed the kidnappers.

Conflicting reports have emerged on their fate after Syrian government forces shelled the area of Aazaz where they were being held.