Lebanese Ministry of Information
Information Minister Dr. Paul Morcos on Wednesday welcomed the adoption of Lebanon’s new media law, describing it as a significant step toward modernizing media legislation amid rapid developments in digital platforms, artificial intelligence and the broader media sector.
Speaking to OTV’s “Bi Diplomassiya” program with journalist Rozana Rammal, Morcos said the law is “more than 80% positive,” while work continues on refining the remaining provisions. He noted that UNESCO, the European Union, the United States, Reporters Without Borders and a number of local media and rights organizations had welcomed its adoption, saying this could help improve Lebanon’s standing on press freedom indicators.
Morcos said the law seeks to strengthen the freedom and independence of media institutions and protect them from political and security interference. He also highlighted new financial transparency provisions allowing the National Media Authority to request audits of media outlets’ accounts through sworn experts.
He acknowledged concerns raised by media unions and institutions and said his role was to convey them to Parliament. Morcos also renewed his call to reorganize public media institutions after the relevant chapter was dropped from the law. That proposal had envisaged bringing Télé Liban, Radio Lebanon and the National News Agency under a single media platform while preserving their archives and employees’ rights.
On Article 104, Morcos said two paragraphs added during the final stages of parliamentary committee discussions provide for imprisonment, fines or both for deliberately fabricating misinformation and disseminating harmful false news. He said he had personally objected to the provision and would continue seeking its amendment.
Morcos stressed that he does not support imprisoning journalists over publication, opinion or expression cases, noting that Article 114 prohibits pretrial detention for offenses committed through media or electronic platforms, regardless of the perpetrator’s profession or status. He said proposed amendments would be submitted jointly by parliamentary blocs.
He added that abolishing the Publications Court does not mean restoring imprisonment as the basic penalty for journalists, stressing that the overall direction of the law is toward replacing custodial penalties with fines.
Morcos also said the legislation defines, for the first time, who qualifies as a media professional and establishes legal definitions for media outlets, institutions and content. It also introduces a regulatory framework for websites, requiring, among other things, a clear editorial policy, a responsible director and qualified editorial staff.
He said these standards are not intended to restrict media freedom, but to ensure that websites operate with a clear identity, professional structure and accountable management.
