Another Lebanese Newspaper Stops Printing

W460

Lebanese newspaper al-Anwar on Friday said its publisher was suspending its print version, as it became the latest victim of the country's media crisis.

"Dar al-Sayyad has decided to stop publishing al-Anwar from next Monday," the political daily said on its front page.

The newspaper, which was first issued in 1959, said the demise of its print version was due to "financial losses."

The publisher's eight other publications -- including popular cultural weekly al-Shabaka -- would also cease to be printed, it said.

It was not immediately clear if there were any plans for the publications to continue to have a presence online.

Founded in 1943 by Lebanese writer Said Freiha, Dar al-Sayyad has offices in London, Dubai, Riyadh, Cairo and Damascus, as well as Beirut.

The press in Lebanon has been in crisis for several years, both as it struggles to adapt to the digital era and faces economic difficulties.

In June, prestigious pan-Arab newspaper al-Hayat closed its Lebanon offices, where it was first founded in 1946 before later becoming Saudi owned.

Its printing presses in Beirut stopped the same month, leaving its international version only available online.

In late 2016, Lebanese newspaper as-Safir shuttered 42 years after it published its first edition, with the founder saying it had run out of funds.

Other newspapers have carried out mass layoffs or suspended salary payments.

Comments 4
Thumb chrisrushlau 28 September 2018, 18:32

One would think the Lebanese Shia majority would have some news-and-views organs. Good governance runs on good information.

Thumb chrisrushlau 29 September 2018, 16:31

Has Naharnet ever mentioned Article 24 of the Lebanese Constitution, which reserves half of the seats in the Lebanese Chamber of Deputies for Christians?

Thumb warrior 30 September 2018, 03:41

The shia heretic is happy only with iranian owned media.

Thumb chrisrushlau 30 September 2018, 17:35

Article 24
The Chamber of Deputies consists of elected representatives whose number and the
manner of the election are determined by the electoral laws in effect.

Until the Chamber of Deputies issues an Electoral Law, outside the sectarian record,
representative seats are distributed according to the following rules:
a.
Equally between Christians and Moslems.
constituteproject.org
PDF generated: 27 Jul 2018, 21:04
Page 7
Lebanon 1926 (rev. 2004)
b.
Proportional between the sects of both sides.
c.
Proportional among districts.
Exceptionally, and once, representative seats vacant at the date of publishing this
Law, and the seats created by the Electoral Law, are filled totally by appointment by
a two- thirds majority of the National Détente Government, in implementation of
the equality between the Christians and the Moslems, according to the National
Détente Document.