The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International, widely known as LBCI, is a private television station in Lebanon. LBCI was founded in 1992 by acquiring the assets, liabilities and logo of LBC, an entity founded in 1985 during the Lebanese Civil War by the Lebanese Forces. LBCI went global in 1996 when it launched its satellite channel LBC Al-Fadha'iya Al-Lubnaniya covering Lebanon, the Arab world, Europe, America, Australia and Africa.
Post-war era
The Lebanese Forces, a militia that had founded LBC in 1985, was militarily and financially weakened by Lebanese civil war which ended in 1990 and its leader Samir Geagea was imprisoned in 1994. In 1992 Pierre El Daher had founded LBCI along with other shareholders and registered it at the Commercial Register of Baabda. In the current ownership battle over the channel, El Daher has failed to prove that the Lebanese Forces sold the original LBC channel to him allowing him to move its assets to the newly created LBCI. In April 1996, El Daher and other shareholders launched LBCsat a free satellite channel. The new channel was a success, especially to the Lebanese diaspora, disseminated throughout the world. In 2003, as a result of an agreement between Saleh Kamel, founder of LMH company and Al Waleed bin Talal, the latter, through Kingdom, replaced Kamel in LMH. By the end of 2008, it was decided to increase the capital of LMH considerably. Accordingly, Al-Waleed Bin Talal became the largest shareholder after acquiring the absolute majority in PAC and LBC SAT, based on an understanding that the capital increase would be invested to improve the programs’ network and upgrade productivity under the supervision of Sheikh Pierre Daher. In 2010, Rupert Murdoch joined the group and PAC and LBC SAT were merged with Rotana. Rumor was that this merger would improve and develop the group, which seemed an obvious result of the cooperation between the Saudi prince and the owner of the biggest media empire in the world, Rupert Murdoch. These expectations did not materialize.
At the end of the year 2002, LBC SAT and the London-based Al Hayat newspaper owned by Saudis, merged their news programs. LBC SAT daily news bulletin was called the "Al Hayat-LBC SAT news bulletin". The cooperation ended in 2010.
LBCI ownership battle
The Lebanese Forces, a local political party initiated proceedings in Lebanon claiming ownership of LBCI, and lost miserably.
LBCI brands
LBCI
• LBCI is a local channel for Lebanese viewers broadcasting a variety of programs of different genres.
LB2
• LB2 is a local channel dedicated to around the clock reruns of entertainment shows and series.
LBC Europe
• LBC Europe is an international version of LBCI targeted to Lebanese citizens in Europe.
LDC
• Lebanese Diaspora Channel is an international version of LBCI targeted to Lebanese in diaspora countries. In December 2019, LBCI announced that the LDC brand will be discontinued by the beginning of the year 2020 and that all programs will be broadcast via LBCI. The main reason behind the decision is that the LDC branding is no longer needed since the battle for the LBC brand and channels with Al Walid Bin Talal has been resolved and won by LBCI current owner, Pierre El Daher.
Popular programs
LBCI has produced many popular shows including Little Big Starsنجوم صغار Star Academy Arab World, Ya Katel Ya Maktoul, Miss Lebanon, Hellha wo Ehtalha, SurvivorMiddle East, El Wadi, The Perfect Bride and Mission Fashion. Its most famous talk show is Kalam Ennas hosted by Marcel Ghanem. The show, which originally aired on C33, moved to LBC after C33 was shut down in the mid-1990s. Another famous show is BassMat Watan'' , a sketch-comedy show that deals with politics and current events.
