الاتحاد الكاثوليكي العالمي للصحافة- لبنان اوسيب – لبنان
Antelias, January 12th, 2007
The political and religious sectarianism is lately threatening media faithfulness, trustworthiness and reliability. It is a gateway to a new conflict in the Lebanese society. The various Lebanese media channels are called to realize the dangerous role they are performing during this very sensitive and dangerous period in Lebanese history, and be aware of their different reflections.
1- The media people should not forget the fact that their primary duty is to serve their society, and participate in its growth and development. Transmission of wrong or partial information or news, misleads the audience, and does wrong to the truth, at the same time. This appears particularly when some media agencies intend to solicit positions feedbacks, which lead to taking certain political or religious sectarian positions that do not serve the country, but hurts it. This threatens the national security, the media freedom, and deviates it from responsibility required from whoever works inside it.
2- It is probably, necessary to revisit media laws together with those of radio and T.V. broadcasting, in light of current experiments, and previous ones too. Those concerned with the media in our country, are called to a workshop to activate media syndicates, and encourage the agreements of honor within institutions.
3- The Union stresses the necessity to study or close the case of arrested New T.V. journalists, stating that this case is divided into two parts: The first, is legal, and connected with the possibility that the television team might have broken the sanctity of private possessions, realizing, that the international media had practiced similar incidents which were justified by the " laws and practices " of this career, especially when its purpose is to seek or uncover the truth. However these actions are taken to expose sometimes manipulation of peoples minds, or serve a public case, or violate moral and practiced laws.
4- For this reason, the case of the three persons working for New T.V. is now with the Lebanese court. We hope the case will be dealt with justly, away from political influence, and journalists be released, and keep them available for further investigation. If anything justifies keeping them under arrest, a soon declaration of reasons is needed to keep away any doubts. The Union hopes this case will not be a dangerous misdealing with journalists media personalities.
Translated by: Moris Jahshan
