Amid the the current challenges facing the media sector in both Lebanon and the world, international media institutions have resorted to major measures in the form of a merger between several companies.
In this context, LBCI's Chairman Sheikh Pierre El Daher explained in an interview with LBCI website his vision towards the means to be adopted in order to face these challenges in Lebanon.
Q- What are the options available for media outlets in Lebanon? Is it possible to adopt the same measures implemented by major international companies in the form of a merger?
A- During this era of growing globalization, the options ranging from cooperation to merger become highly recommended for big companies around the world in a bid to maintain growth, progress, competitiveness and the capability to face monopoly and bigger challenges. This is what hundreds of media and non-media companies have done in the United States and Europe.
However, we are not proposing the merger option, but are discussing with other companies a vision I have proposed years ago concerning the need to unite some of the efforts, in a bid to decrease the cost of production and increase the income, while preserving at the same time the quality of work. This vision will help all companies guarantee their sustainability.
Q- How can this idea be implemented on the ground?
A- In production, we aim at collecting our capabilities and redistributing them in a way to double the production while reducing the cost and expenses.
For example, usually each media corporation sends its own SNG vehicle to cover one event, instead, these institutions can cooperate among one another, distribute their vehicles to several locations and share news coverage, without exhausting all their assets in one place.
In advertising, we proposed fixing the price of advertisements, to lessen the competitiveness that leads to a decrease in the income. In addition, this measure will prevent the manipulation of advertisement fees.
Q- But won’t these proposed formulas affect the independence of the media corporations?
A- Not at all. This will affect neither the autonomy nor the character of any company. We are only seeking to organize the management of the capabilities that we have, in a bid to reduce as much as possible the lost efforts and wasted expenses.
As a result, not only will the media companies profit, but also, the audience will benefit from a wider scale of production. We seek to develop the media sector in Lebanon in order the help Lebanese production reach higher peaks.
Q- How did other media companies receive this idea?
A- I have discussed this proposal with MTV's Chairman Michel Murr, al-Jadeed TV’s Chairman Tahsin Khayyat and Future TV’s Chairman Hany Hammoud, and they welcomed the idea. I plan to hold similar discussions with the chairmen of OTV, NBN and al-Manar in order to reach a common formula.
Q- Do you expect that all the companies will agree to this project? What is the possibility that the TV channels adopt this notion?
A- We are optimistic. What we are proposing today as an option, will soon turn into a necessity, which every news outlet will find itself bound to adopt to face the growing challenges.
Other major companies around the world opted for the merger option.
Today we are proposing much less of a merger and more of maintenance plan.
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