BEIRUT: The new Cabinet should safeguard media institutions from malicious political practices, said the President of the National Audiovisual Media Council, Abdel Hadi Mahfouz.
Speaking at a meeting with Information Minister Walid Daouk Tuesday, Mahfouz reiterated that the council is fully committed to protecting all media institutions.
“The direction the government is taking is not toward maliciousness, but if we sense that there is abuse of power or malicious media policies, we will defend the institutions,” said Mahfouz.
Following five months of delay, Prime Minister Najib Mikati formed a new government last week, which replaced the caretaker Cabinet of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
Daouk, the successor of former Interior Minister Tarek Mitri, stressed that media freedom and objectivity were part of the new Cabinet’s policies.
According to Mahfouz, the meeting between the ministry and the council aimed to create a constructive role for media in the country. “Today’s session is the first after the formation of the Cabinet … and its goal is to discuss the vision of the media in the new government, based on a constructive role in safeguarding civil peace, coexistence [between the Lebanese] and respecting freedoms,” Mahfouz added.
He also said that the practice of media freedom in the country is an asset, if carried out within a proper constitutional framework and under the rule of law.
The meeting also tackled lowering taxes for audiovisual institutions, modernizing the laws under which media institutions operate, and the establishment of two new council committees, one for the audio outlets and another for the visual outlets in the country.
“In light of the formation of these committees, we will hold new meetings with clear schedules with the assistance of the Information Minister,” said Mahfouz, adding that the establishment of Beirut Media City is vital in transforming the country’s role in the Arab world.
But for such a transformation, “we need to bring in more Arab and foreign investment to promote and encourage media production … Such investments would require further amendments to audiovisual laws,” he said.
Beirut Media City is project that proposes to gather those working in the creative industries including software development, along with news agencies, online media and advertising.
Mahfouz added that participants discussed new approaches to put an end to the interference of waves between different television channels.
“We also proposed the establishment of a audiovisual union and the participation of journalists in press federations … and photographers in a federation of photographers,” he said.
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