freeing up the media

ENAR

Following the assassination attempt against Defense Minister Elias Murr last month, Lebanese newspapers placed on their front pages a photograph of the “reconciliation” between Michel Murr and his brother Gabriel. Beyond what that meant politically, or filially, the episode prompted reflection about what it would mean for MTV, the television station closed down by a government writ after a 2002 by-election in the Metn, for having allegedly broken the law on political campaigning. With so many priorities on the agenda of a new Lebanese government, little attention has been paid to media matters, though in many respects that is one of the paramount issues that will define Lebanon in the future. In a Middle East where media are becoming increasingly competitive, will the country become a leading regional media hub? Can Lebanon compete with the likes of Dubai, and if so what are the political implications of an otherwise sensible