Power struggle over LBCI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000190 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ELA - LAWSON, NEA/ELA - IRWIN, NEA/PPD, R, 
INR/R/MR, INR-PARENT, 
NSC - MCDERMOTT, SHAPIRO 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF, PREL, KMDR, OPRC, KPAO, KISL, KPAL, LE 
SUBJECT:  Lebanon:  Power Struggle Over LBCI 
 
1.  (U)  Summary:  Long standing problems between the Chairman of 
the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI), Pierre 
El Daher, and the Lebanese Forces Party escalated over the last two 
weeks.  The result was that CEO Pierre El Daher blamed Lebanese 
security forces of failing to carry out their duties and announced 
that the station was under "armed occupation." LBCI was created 
following the implementation of the 1994 media law.  Lebanese 
Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) was registered as LBCI. LBCI is the 
leading broadcast channel.  The public continues to refer to it as 
LBC.  End Summary. 
 
El Daher Reacts 
---------------- 
 
2.  (U)  On Saturday January 31, 2009, one of LBCI's main studios 
was sabotaged when cameras were filled with fire extinguishing 
powder.  The sabotaged studio is the location of one of LBCI's 
highly rated shows -- "Ahmar Bilkhat El Arid (In Bold Red)."  A 
source told Public Diplomacy that the instigators were trying to 
sabotage one of the most profitable shows to spite El Daher. 
 
3.  (U)  LBCI released a statement accusing the company's security, 
known to be loyal to the Lebanese Forces, of carrying out the 
sabotage.  The statement accused "a former dismissed employee who 
reports to the former (also dismissed senior) security officer 
Charbel Abi Akl."  (Note: A year ago, El Daher dismissed 
pro-Lebanese Forces security employee, Charbel Abi Aql and sixteen 
others who reported to him.  According to El Daher, Abi Aql refused 
to leave the position and continues to report to duty despite a 
court ruling that forbids him from entering the premises. 
Conversely, Abi Aql argues that both he and El Daher were hired by 
the Lebanese Forces and that only it is entitled to fire him.  End 
Note.) 
 
4.  (U)  El Daher issued a statement on Monday, February 9, 2009, 
saying the station was under "armed occupation."  He stated that Abi 
Aql and sixteen other security personnel were no longer on LBCI's 
payroll and he argued that they were paid by the leadership of the 
Lebanese Forces.  El Daher announced that LBCI's problem was no 
longer with the "outlaws," i.e., the seventeen dismissed employees 
including Abi Aql, but with the people who are supposed to enforce 
the law, specifically the Minister of Interior, Ziad Baroud, and his 
predecessor Hassan Sabaa.  The court order was issued during Sabaa's 
term in office.  In his announcement, El Daher openly challenged the 
security services by saying, "the failure to implement a single 
decision in one Lebanese area raises questions about the ability to 
hold the elections not in one region only, but throughout Lebanon 
and in one day." 
 
Lebanese Forces Responds 
------------------------ 
 
5.  (U)  Lebanese Forces responded by saying that it is awaiting the 
court verdict to determine who owns LBCI/LBC.  Lebanese Forces 
maintains that it chose "the legal and judicial path" in dealing 
with El Daher and alleges that he breached his management 
responsibility of LBC.  (Note: Lebanese Forces established 
terrestrial channel LBC between 1982-5, with funding from the party. 
 During Geagea's eleven years of incarceration, fellow director, 
Pierre El Daher, created affiliate LBCI and the LBC satellite 
station (LBCsat).  El Daher turned LBCI/LBC into one of the most 
profitable media outlets in the region.  However, Lebanese Forces 
claims that the company belongs to it and have fought to regain 
control since Geagea's release from prison in 2005.  The case is in 
court awaiting the final verdict.  End Note.) 
 
Pro-Lebanese Forces Anchor Resigns 
---------------------------------- 
 
6.  (U)  One week before El Daher's press statement, one of LBCI's 
most prominent anchors, May Chidiac, announced her resignation on 
air.  (Note:  Chidiac, a staunch Lebanese Forces and March 14 
supporter, was the target of an assassination attempt September 25, 
2005 in which she lost a hand and a leg. End Note.)  She told Public 
Diplomacy that she had become "a punching bag" for El Daher in his 
case against the Lebanese Forces.  She said that she had had enough 
of El Daher's attitude toward her.  El Daher accused Chidiac of 
being biased and of hosting people from "one color only," i.e. March 
14 supporters. She countered that this was not the case and alleged 
that there was "a Syrian decision" that forbade members of March 8 
from appearing on her show because she was a symbol of March 14. 
 
 
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7.  (U)  In her emotional resignation, Chidiac thanked El Daher for 
"appreciating her work and the high ratings she brought," but spoke 
about "colleagues inside LBC who waged a fierce war against" her. 
She told them "I decide when to leave; you do not decide when I 
should leave... I decided to stop today because I have my dignity." 
She added that she could "no longer betray the blood she lost, no 
longer betray her convictions.  I could no longer lower my standards 
and dignity to get the approval of someone who is below standard..." 
 She ended with "Sheikh Pierre I love you. I have only one wish, 
which is that Samir Geagea and Pierre Daher agree.  I paid the high 
price of blood." 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
8.  (U)  Since Geagea's arrest in 1994, El Daher worked hard to 
adopt a policy of moderation to preserve the company which was 
considered a Lebanese Forces institution.  El Daher's efforts turned 
the company into a huge success making it a major platform for 
politicians from across the political spectrum in Lebanon.  In the 
statement he issued, El Daher maintained that LBC's "message aims at 
a free and balanced media that is based on granting all citizens and 
public office workers the media space they deserve within the 
formula of no hushing and no exaggeration; objectivity rules its 
policy..."  However, until a verdict is reached on the legal case 
between El Daher and the Lebanese Forces, and in the reaming four 
months between the June 7 parliamentary elections, it is not clear 
whether El Daher will give equal airtime to the March 14 and the 
March 8 positions. 
 
Sison