Today, Wednesday afternoon, the esteemed media figure Kamil Mouness passed away after a struggle with illness. He is best known for announcing the news of the moon landing. A graduate of the Jesuit University, he held a law degree that he never practiced, opting instead for a career in media from the very beginning. He served as the Director of News and Political Programs at Tele Liban from 1960 to 1971 and was a correspondent for French radio and television in the Middle East from 1960 to 1964. He chose to join the group of youth who followed the path of President Fouad Chehab and, later, his successor in the craft—if not in essence—President Charles Helou, taking on the role of Program Director at Radio Lebanon.
His experiences diversified in the following years, as he became a correspondent for Radio Monte Carlo and managed Media Press, the company responsible for advertising in Al-Nahar and L'Orient-Le-Jour during 1971-1973. He chaired the International Advertising Organization's Beirut branch from 1980 to 1983 and taught for years in the faculties of media and business administration at Lebanese University from 1970 to 1976. He was the Chairman and General Manager of Dar L'Orient Le Jour Publishing for 22 years from 1981 and served as the Managing Director of L'Orient Le Jour newspaper between 1973 and 2003. In spite of his many roles, he was also able to work as a correspondent for ABC, the well-known American station.
The newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat wrote: "Fifty years ago, the Lebanese media figure Kamil Mouness sat before the camera of 'Tele Liban,' the official broadcaster, to announce the first human landing on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission, which took place on July 19, 1969, capturing the attention of people around the world, especially those fascinated by science and space exploration. Mouness's face and voice became linked to the event. Alongside the scientific aspect of such a news story, Mouness provided a personal impression, noting that it 'ended for many the notion of the moon as a distant and beautiful planet that no one could reach' and that 'reaching the moon was a major step for humanity,' as he told Al-Sharq Al-Awsat. He elaborated, 'This event affected me personally; the moon has always inspired poets and lovers, and the idea that humanity was able to reach it and walk on its surface annihilated the special image I had always held of it.'"
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. George Klass, mourned the late Kamil Mouness (1936-2024), stating: "The godfather of white media, full of light, adorned with a serene and elegant smile, a pioneer of good words, and an architect of media harmony and reconciliation. He was recorded by those who knew him, his colleagues, and those who appreciated him, and he died with a peaceful faith, just as he lived for Lebanon, media, and the freedom of the press and national responsibility."
