Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International

Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International, usually abbreviated as LBCI and also known as LBC, is a private Lebanese television broadcaster whose programming combines news, current affairs, entertainment, reality television, talk shows and locally produced or adapted formats. The organization emerged from the transformation of Lebanon’s original LBC broadcaster, which had been established in 1985 during the Lebanese Civil War by the Lebanese Forces militia. In 1992, LBCI was formed through the acquisition of the earlier entity’s assets, liabilities and logo. Pierre El Daher, who had helped establish LBCI with other shareholders and registered the company in the Baabda commercial register, became a central figure in its subsequent development. The broadcaster’s expansion was closely connected to Lebanon’s post-war political and media environment. The Lebanese Forces were weakened militarily and financially after the civil war ended in 1990, while their leader Samir Geagea was imprisoned in 1994. Against that background, LBCI developed as a commercial television operation rather than remaining solely associated with the militia that had founded its predecessor. Its most important expansion came in April 1996, when it launched LBC Al-Fadha'iya Al-Lubnaniya, generally referred to as LBC Sat. The free-to-air satellite service extended the LBC brand to Lebanese and Arab audiences across the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Australia and Africa, and became particularly important for the Lebanese diaspora. LBCI’s business has included terrestrial television in Lebanon, international satellite distribution, production and licensing of entertainment formats, news programming, and digital-facing media activity through its wider group presence. Its programming portfolio has included the Arab edition of Star Academy, Miss Lebanon, Kalam Ennas, Survivor Middle East, El Wadi, and Arabic adaptations of international formats such as Greed and Fort Boyard. Marcel Ghanem’s political and current-affairs program Kalam Ennas became one of the network’s most recognizable talk shows. The company has also operated or branded a range of local and international channels, including LBCI, LDC, LBC Europe and LBC America, while several other regional feeds and specialized channels were later discontinued. Ownership and strategic control have shifted over time. Lebanese Media Holding, associated with LBC Sat and the PAC content provider, was involved in a 2003 transaction in which Saudi prince Al-Waleed bin Talal’s Kingdom replaced Saleh Kamel’s position. By late 2008, an increase in LMH’s capital and changes involving PAC and LBC Sat reportedly made Al-Waleed bin Talal the largest shareholder in those interests. In 2010, PAC and LBC Sat were merged with the Rotana group, in a process associated with Al-Waleed bin Talal and Rupert Murdoch. The anticipated benefits of that combination reportedly did not fully materialize. A separate news-programming cooperation between LBC Sat and the Saudi-owned London newspaper Al Hayat ran from 2002 until 2010. In December 2019, LBCI announced that the LDC brand would be discontinued at the beginning of 2020 and that its programs would be carried under LBCI. The stated rationale was that the separate LDC identity was no longer needed after the resolution of a dispute over the LBC name and channels in favor of the LBCI side associated with Pierre El Daher. LBCI remains an active Lebanese television brand with a domestic channel, international reach and a broad entertainment and news profile.

The original LBC was established in 1985 during the Lebanese Civil War by the Lebanese Forces militia. In the post-war period, the organization’s political and financial foundations changed as the Lebanese Forces became weaker and Lebanon’s media environment moved toward a more commercial and competitive structure. LBCI was established in 1992 when it acquired the earlier LBC entity’s assets, liabilities and logo. Pierre El Daher had registered LBCI with other shareholders in the Baabda commercial register in 1989 and became the company’s central managerial and ownership figure. LBCI’s defining strategic move was its international expansion. In April 1996, it launched LBC Al-Fadha'iya Al-Lubnaniya, known widely as LBC Sat, as a free-to-air satellite service. The channel distributed Lebanese programming to viewers throughout the Arab world and to diaspora communities in Europe, the Americas, Australia and Africa. This transformed LBC from a primarily Lebanese terrestrial broadcaster into a transnational Arabic television brand. The company subsequently developed a complex ownership and partnership structure. Lebanese Media Holding held interests connected with LBC Sat and PAC, a content provider serving LBC-related operations. In 2003, Kingdom, associated with Al-Waleed bin Talal, replaced Saleh Kamel in LMH. A later capital increase and changes affecting PAC and LBC Sat reportedly strengthened Al-Waleed bin Talal’s position. In 2010, PAC and LBC Sat were merged with Rotana, although the expected improvements in programming and productivity were reported not to have fully emerged. LBC Sat also cooperated with Al Hayat on a combined news bulletin from 2002 through 2010. LBCI’s programming identity has rested on a combination of news, political discussion, entertainment, reality television, competitions and beauty-pageant coverage. Its productions and adaptations have included Star Academy Arab World, Miss Lebanon, Survivor Middle East, El Wadi, and Arabic versions of Greed and Fort Boyard. Kalam Ennas, hosted by Marcel Ghanem, became a prominent current-affairs program; it originated on C33 before moving to LBC after that channel closed in the mid-1990s. Over time, LBCI operated a domestic channel, an international satellite service and multiple regional or specialized feeds, including LBC Europe, LBC America, LDC and various now-defunct services for Australia, Africa, the Maghreb and diaspora audiences. In December 2019, the company announced that LDC would be discontinued at the beginning of 2020 and that its programming would be consolidated under LBCI. The move followed the reported resolution of a dispute concerning use of the LBC name and related channels. LBCI continues as an active Lebanese broadcaster with both domestic and international media activity.

1. 2019LDC consolidation announced

   LBCI announces that the LDC identity will be retired and its programming consolidated under LBCI from 2020.

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2. 2010PAC and LBC Sat join Rotana

   PAC and LBC Sat are merged with Rotana in a wider media-group transaction.

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3. 2002Al Hayat news cooperation begins

   LBC Sat and Al Hayat begin joint news-bulletin programming.

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4. 1996LBC Sat launches

   The broadcaster launches its free-to-air satellite service for Lebanese and Arab audiences worldwide.

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5. 1992LBCI acquires the predecessor broadcaster’s assets

   LBCI is formed through the acquisition of the earlier LBC’s assets, liabilities and logo.

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6. 1989LBCI is registered

   Pierre El Daher and other shareholders establish and register LBCI in the Baabda commercial register.

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7. 1985Original LBC is established

   The predecessor Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation is founded during the civil war by the Lebanese Forces militia.

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A commercially oriented Lebanese television broadcaster combining local news and public-affairs coverage with mass-market Arabic entertainment and international distribution for Lebanese and Arab audiences.

• LBCIDomestic television channel1992

  LBCI is the principal local Lebanese television service. It carries a mixed schedule spanning news, political discussion, entertainment, series, reality formats, competitions and special programming, serving viewers in Lebanon through terrestrial and broader broadcast distribution.

• LBC SatInternational satellite television channel1996

  LBC Sat was launched as a free-to-air satellite channel in 1996 to serve audiences outside Lebanon. Its distribution covered the Arab world and major Lebanese diaspora markets in Europe, the Americas, Australia and Africa, making it a principal vehicle for the international expansion of the LBC brand.

• LDCEntertainment television channel

  LDC, also known as LBC Drama, was a local service focused largely on repeated entertainment programs and series. LBCI announced in 2019 that the brand would be discontinued at the beginning of 2020, with its programming transferred to LBCI.

• LBC EuropeInternational regional television service

  LBC Europe was an international version of the broadcaster’s programming aimed at Lebanese viewers and diaspora communities in Europe.

• LBC AmericaInternational regional television service

  LBC America was an international version of LBCI intended for Lebanese audiences in the United States and wider American market.

• Kalam EnnasCurrent-affairs talk show

  Kalam Ennas is a political and current-affairs talk program associated with host Marcel Ghanem. The program originally aired on C33 and later moved to LBC after C33 was shut down, becoming one of the broadcaster’s most recognizable public-affairs offerings.

• 2019Consolidation of LDC programming under LBCIStrategy

  LBCI stated that the separate LDC branding was no longer necessary after a dispute over the LBC name and channels had been resolved.

  What changed. The company announced that LDC would be discontinued at the beginning of 2020 and that its programs would be broadcast through LBCI.

  Aftermath. The decision simplified the channel portfolio and concentrated programming under the LBCI identity.

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• 2010PAC and LBC Sat merge with RotanaM&A

  The transaction followed changes in ownership and capital involving LMH, PAC and LBC Sat.

  What changed. PAC and LBC Sat were combined with Rotana in a wider media-group integration associated with Al-Waleed bin Talal and Rupert Murdoch.

  Aftermath. The expected improvements in programming and productivity were reported not to have fully materialized.

  Source
• 2003Kingdom enters the Lebanese Media Holding structureM&A

  Lebanese Media Holding held interests connected with LBC Sat and PAC.

  What changed. Through an agreement involving Saleh Kamel and Al-Waleed bin Talal, Kingdom replaced Kamel in LMH.

  Aftermath. The transaction increased the role of Al-Waleed bin Talal in the ownership structure surrounding LBC Sat and PAC.

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• 1996Launch of the LBC Sat satellite channelProduct launch

  LBCI sought to extend its reach beyond Lebanon and connect with Lebanese and Arab viewers abroad.

  What changed. The company launched a free-to-air satellite service covering Lebanon, the Arab world and major diaspora regions.

  Aftermath. The service became a significant international outlet for Lebanese programming and helped establish LBC as a transnational television brand.

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• 2019LBCI announces the discontinuation of the LDC brand

  LBCI announced that LDC would be retired at the start of 2020 and that its programming would move under the LBCI name.

  Product generation
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• 2010PAC and LBC Sat merge with Rotana

  PAC and LBC Sat were combined with Rotana in a strategic media-group transaction associated with Al-Waleed bin Talal and Rupert Murdoch.

  M&A
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• 2008LBC Sat and PAC interests become associated with Al-Waleed bin Talal

  A capital increase and related ownership changes reportedly made Al-Waleed bin Talal the largest shareholder in PAC and LBC Sat interests.

  M&A
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• 2003Kingdom replaces Saleh Kamel in Lebanese Media Holding

  An agreement involving Saleh Kamel and Saudi prince Al-Waleed bin Talal led Kingdom to replace Kamel in Lebanese Media Holding.

  M&A
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• 2002LBC Sat and Al Hayat combine news programming

  LBC Sat and the London-based Al Hayat newspaper began a news-programming cooperation that continued until 2010.

  Other
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• 1996LBCI launches LBC Sat international service

  LBCI introduced a free-to-air satellite channel designed to reach Lebanese and Arab viewers beyond Lebanon, including audiences in Europe, the Americas, Australia and Africa.

  Product launch
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1. Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International
2. LBC Group official website