Thursday, May 18, 2006

The Corrupt Media of Lebanon

Unlike all Arab countries, Lebanon is the country of freedom...freedom to be corrupt.

We should all be proud that all our media outlets (press, TV and Radio) have been ultra corrupt since independence. A few years ago a prominent journalist said on live TV that he is proud to receive "financial assistance" from friendly countries. I wonder how much are countries in the Gulf and Iran paying our honest journalists and media owners?

Indeed, most media outlets in Lebanon are on the take. They either work for the Hariris, get financed by them, are aspiring to receive Hariri funds or are being financed by their regional enemies and sometimes friends.

Without corruption most media outlets will close and only the most read, viewed or listened to would survive.

No wonder corruption is rarely exposed and things never change. No wonder murderers and thieves rule us. Everything is for sale in Lebanon and we brag about it and then when things go wrong, we cry.

The corrupt are only exposed if they do not pay their political and media dues. And if by chance anyone talks about media corruption...the corrupt media of Lebanon unites and cries of "freedom of the press" are raised.

What a dirty lot!

Long live Blogging and the Internet!