Prospects for change in media converge of sexuality in Lebanon

Al Akhbar newspaper published an article about the research carried out by journalist and author Sahar Mandur and entitled “Potential Change in Media Discourse on Sexuality in Lebanon”.  The research focused on how the media addressed the Cinema Plaza story in 2012 during which 36 young men were arrested and subjected to anal exams, after a TV programme on MTV station raided the cinema and asked the authorities to interfere. Mandur presented her study during a seminar entitled “Chats on gender”, organised last week by Arab Foundation for Freedom and Equality, in Beirut.
According to Mandur, the audio-visual media witnessed a breakthrough in approaching the subject and in covering the story, particularly when LBCI station opened its news broadcast with a highly social critical editorial written by Khaled Saghieh and entitled "welcome to the republic of shame".  To be noted that such issues had been traditionally dealt with by the media in an anecdotal and burlesque manner. Mandur added that several factors contributed to change at the level of the written and audio visual media namely the emergence of a right based civil movement strengthened by public contributions and interaction on As Safir youth page, the creation of Al Akhbar newspaper which brought a space and a voice for young activists.  These two landmarks were subsequently followed by the establishment of a number of partnerships between civil society organisations and some newspapers such as for instance the collaboration between the Legal Agenda and As Safir.
Mandur concluded by expressing her pessimism regarding individual freedoms in the media. She added that there is a marked difference between the audio visual media, which continues to treat these issues in a sensationalist way, and the written media which is more committed to issues related to rights and freedoms.

Source: Al-Akhbar 19 September