The Minister of Information in the caretaker government, Dr. Manal Abdel Samad, expressed her rejection of accusations against the media for causing chaos and negatively impacting public opinion.
According to the National News Agency, Abdel Samad stated during a session called by the Communications and Media Committee today to discuss the current media conditions and their impact on public opinion and stability, that most media outlets demonstrate high professionalism. She noted that the current chaos is rooted in the bitter reality we live in, stating that the media is merely a mirror; those seeking to rectify the situation should not break the mirror but instead address the flaws reflected in it.
In her defense of the media, Abdel Samad referenced what she termed the "political abuse vocabulary in Lebanon," repeating a collection of phrases and terms taken from Lebanese politicians such as "shoe, killer, criminal, tyrant, stupid, madman, subordinate, agent, conspirator, service provider, hateful, child, slave, liar, and genius," to assert that these phrases do not belong to the media's vocabulary, but the media has become accustomed to hearing them daily. Therefore, it is not surprising if the media refers to them, even as the surrounding political atmosphere does not absolve it from its ethical, moral, and social responsibilities. She called for all media institutions and journalists to adhere to the media code of honor.
The Minister of Information categorically rejected the proposal to reconsider pretrial detention raised during the session, pointing out that "media freedom is sacred, and therefore journalists should not be punished with imprisonment for what they say or write." Abdel Samad noted that the Ministry of Information has worked on revising the proposed media law and has produced a modern version that abolishes prison sentences, replacing the term "media crimes" with "media acts," as the person expressing an opinion is not a criminal, and limiting penalties to financial fines that double in case of repeated offenses.
Abdel Samad affirmed her opposition to all forms of prior censorship on the media, considering the security services' role in censoring theatrical, cinematic, and television works to transform Lebanon into a police state. The Minister emphasized that self-censorship, starting with journalists monitoring themselves and ending with institutional oversight, is sufficient. She stated: "Media institutions must improve their performance by relying on the triad of objectivity, neutrality, and realism, which reflects high professionalism."
Abdel Samad also considered the concern of attracting audiences through professionalism to be a form of self-regulation. She mentioned that the Ministry of Information has the power to close media institutions; however, this would not solve the media crisis. She pointed out that the role of the Ministry of Information is to support media institutions, not to act as an obstacle during these economically pressured circumstances.
