Minister of Media at Arab Media Summit: New Law Enhances Press Freedom and Regulates the Sector

Work began at the Dubai World Trade Centre on the 25th edition of the Arab Media Summit 2026, hosted by the Dubai Press Club under the chairmanship of Mona Ghanem Al-Merri, with participation from Lebanese Minister of Media Boul Merqas, several Arab media ministers, Syrian Foreign Minister Asad al-Shibani, officials from Arab and Gulf Cooperation Council countries, U.S. President Donald Trump’s advisor Massad Pauls, and media leaders.

The opening ceremony featured Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara as a guest of honor, who delivered a speech addressing regional developments, Syria’s current trajectory, and its future, stressing that "the word is a trust" and underscoring the media’s responsibility to convey truth professionally and consciously, particularly amid the rapid transformations occurring across the Middle East.

Mona Ghanem Al-Merri also delivered the opening address, welcoming participants to the summit, while the General Secretary of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassem Mohammed Al-Badawi, sent a message to journalists highlighting their duty to cover events with professionalism and objectivity.

During the summit, Minister Boul Merqas participated in a panel discussion with Arabic Sky News journalist Mrouj Ibrahim, focusing on Lebanon’s experience in modernizing its media legislative framework, especially following the adoption of the new Media Law.

Merqas affirmed that the law constitutes a "modern and unified legal framework for all media sectors," adaptable and updatable to keep pace with technological and digital changes in the industry, noting it was adopted after 16 years of parliamentary committee deliberations involving international and local organizations such as UNESCO and the Skills Foundation, alongside media and legislative experts.

He explained that the law includes key reforms, including the abolition of imprisonment penalties and the ban on pre-trial detention in publishing and media cases, replacing them with financial fines as primary sanctions. It also abolishes the Press Criminal Court and removes military court jurisdiction over media matters, establishing a specialized civilian judiciary to handle media-related lawsuits.

Merqas highlighted that the law guarantees protections for journalists, editorial independence, source confidentiality, regulates the right to reply and correction, separates editorial content from advertising, and sets rules for ownership and funding to enhance transparency, pluralism, and reduce monopolies in the media sector.

It also addresses online and digital media regulation, a major innovation in the law, by incorporating professional media websites and platforms into the legal framework for the first time, adopting a "knowledge and news" system without requiring prior licensing for electronic platforms or personal blogs.

He noted that the law establishes a new independent national media authority with legal personality and financial and administrative autonomy, tasked with regulating the sector and exercising supervisory and regulatory powers—marking a shift from traditional administrative oversight to an independent regulatory body model.

Merqas also discussed provisions combating monopolies, enhancing transparency in media ownership and funding sources, regulating opinion polls and advertising, and countering hate speech, incitement, and fabricated or false news within a legal framework balancing freedom of expression with media responsibility.

The dialogue also covered Lebanon’s experience confronting hate speech and media misinformation, particularly during national and regional crises, and the efforts by the Ministry of Media in collaboration with international and local organizations and content production companies to promote responsible journalism that protects the public’s right to information and curbs the spread of disinformation.

Merqas revealed that the Ministry of Media is preparing a draft law specifically regulating influencers and content creators, stating that final touches are being applied to align with evolving media and digital trends while safeguarding freedom of expression, with the draft to be later presented for discussion with sector stakeholders.

Regarding Lebanon’s international press freedom ranking, Merqas noted progress since the start of the presidential term, surpassing more than 25 Asian and Arab countries, expressing optimism that further advancement will follow the adoption of the new Media Law, which Reporters Without Borders described as a "long-awaited" law, according to the minister.

On the sidelines of the summit, Merqas met with fellow media ministers and heads of media institutions from the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, and Syria, as well as senior executives from international media organizations and TV stations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, discussing ways to strengthen media cooperation and improve Lebanon’s image in global media, while extending invitations to visit Lebanon and host media forums there.

He also met with members of the Lebanese diaspora at the Consulate General of Lebanon in Dubai, accompanied by Lebanese Ambassador to the UAE Tariq Munaima and General Consul Eli Arab, where he presented ongoing presidential and governmental initiatives and listened to the community’s needs.

Additionally, the Minister of Media accepted an invitation from Sheikh Abdullah Al-Hamad, Chairman of the UAE National Media Authority, to attend a ministerial working dinner.