Al Jazeera news caught in fall out from Lebanese cable TV dispute
Rebecca Hawkes ©RapidTVNews | 09-02-2012
A number of cable providers in Lebanon have cut transmission of Al Jazeera news in protest at the demand by the network's sister organization Al Jazeera Sport for increased fees to carry its premium channels.
The Qatar-based broadcaster's free to air Arabic and English language news channels were taken off air on Tuesday (7 February) in Beirut, Mount Lebanon, Kesrouan and the north, according to the Lebanese Daily Star.
"We apologize to our viewers for ending the broadcast of Al Jazeera channels ... the decision was made as a result of warnings issued by Al Jazeera to cable providers in Lebanon to impose additional charges on viewers," an on screen advisory told viewers.
The discord appears to have arisen after Al Jazeera Sport agreed carriage of its pay-TV channels for what others believe to be an inflated sum to a cable provider in the Beirut southern suburbs, according to the report.
The channel's local license holder, Mohammad Mansour, has also reportedly requested Lebanese authorities shut down other cable networks that are broadcasting Al Jazeera Sport channels without authorisation.
"Al Jazeera news channels remain free to air, and are also available on contracted platforms. We'd therefore urge cable providers to continue allowing their viewers to watch Al Jazeera news," a spokesman for Al Jazeera Network said.
One of the Middle East country's leading digital cable operators, United Cable Lebanon, joined the protest by stopping transmission of Al Jazeera news.
Sleiman Farah, a board member of UCL, reportedly told the Daily Star the operator was willing to pay fees to Al Jazeera however, their level should reflect what the Lebanese can afford to pay.
"In Lebanon there are no lending rights that could protect both the copyright of Al Jazeera and the rights of the viewers," said Farah.
Cable operators are keen to establish a collective organisation nationwide to increase the level of government protection for their industry.
Cable piracy is rife in Lebanon, however, and other regional pay-TV operators such as OSN fight to protect the intellectual copyright of their broadcast content.
"Tackling piracy is important. And the lack of clear legislation in some territories is a hindrance," Nick Thomas, principal analyst, Informa Telecoms & Media told delegates at a Dubai conference in November.
It is estimated that across the Arab world, around $500 million is lost to people syphoning premium TV content without paying those who own the rights to legally distribute it, according to Dubai-based media consultant Ali Ajouz.
The public is often unaware they are paying pirates for the provision of their cable connection in Arab countries where the problem is endemic.
Ajouz says cable theft is a particular problem in Lebanon and Egypt, with TV households in the former country paying $123 million a year to pirate operators.
Al Jazeera Sport currently attracts the most paid for TV subscriptions across the Arab world, according to an Informa report, with 1.85 million households forecast for the network by 2016 thanks to its portfolio of prime footballing assets such as the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, and league coverage from Italy, Spain and France.
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