WORLD PRESS TRENDS - World Association of Newspapers

LEBANON
Top ten advertising categories (2002) Top publishing companies (2002) Top ten advertisers (2002)
Advertising sector Expenditure % (ranked by circulation) Advertiser
Clothing & accesories 25 An-nahar group Banque de la méditerranée
Hygiene/beauty care 22 Dar assayad group Nobilis
Banking/finance 21 Dar al layla wa layla group Aishti
Servicing companies 11 Winston
Transportation & accessories 10 Samsung
Furniture/decoration 3 Banque Libano Francaise
Office supplies 2 Mobili Top
Distribution 2 BHV
Telecommunications 2 Madinat Al Mafrouchat
Household appliances 2 Emirates
Source: ARABAD, Ipsos-Stat
Source: ARABAD, Ipsos-Stat
Employment
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Total no. of journalists 1,042 1,095 1,175 1,200 1,250
Total no. of employees 1,550 1,650 1,750 1,800 1,850
Newspaper colour capability
Number of: 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
4-colour newspapers 11 12 11 11 11
Broadsheets 13 14 13 13 13
Online readership monthly page impressions (000s)
Newspaper 1999 2000 2001 2002
An-Nahar (2 sites) 2,500 4,500 5,000 6,500
Assafir 2,500 3,500 4,000 6,000
Daily Star 2,500 3,500 4,000 5,000
L’orient Le jour 1,000 3,500 4,000 4,500
Al Anwar 2,000 3,000 3,500 4,000
Internet publishing (number of online editions)
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Dailies 2 5 6 6 6 6
Non-dailies - - - 1 1 1
New launches
Title
Al Wakeel - a free classified weekly newspaper
Poster - a free classified weekly newspaper
Format
Tabloid format
Tabloid format
ADVERTISING EXPENDITURE
Advertising expenditure %
1999 2000 2001 2002
Newspapers 15.0 13.5 15.0 21.0
Magazines 12.5 11.5 12.0 8.0
Television 53.0 53.0 50.0 42.0
Radio 5.7 6.0 7.0 9.0
Other 13.8 16.0 16.0 20.0
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Source: ARABAD
Research
Circulation is audited by: Office de justification de la diffusion
(OJD)
Readership is audited by: Ipsos Stat/PARC (Pan Arab Research
Co)
Taxes
VAT on:
sales 0 advertising 10%
newsprint 10% plant 10%
composition 10% (standard VAT rate 10%)
VAT application took place in February 2002 for the first time
in Lebanon. There is no VAT on printing cost or sales revenues.
There is a 10% tax on advertising and a 10% tax on newspaper
profits.
Subsidies
Are there subsidies for the purchase of newsprint Newspapers are
exempt from customs duties.
Are loans granted at low interest rates for re-equipping or improving
existing equipment No
Discounts
on: post 2% rail 0 telephone 50% telegraph 0 telex 0
Ownership
Does any law exist governing publishing-house ownership, or the
registration of shares in newspaper-publishing companies Publishers
are governed by the Press Law, but anyone from Lebanon can
buy a licence to publish a newspaper.
Is there any law prohibiting or restricting foreign companies or
individuals from owning shares, and in particular, the majority of
shares, of domestic daily newspapers Foreigners cannot own shares
in Lebanese newspapers.
Is there any law prohibiting daily newspaper or periodical publishers
from operating radio or television stations in the same locality No
So as to guarantee disclosure and transparency in the capital structure
and to avert silent partnerships, is there a law or rule making it possible
to determine who actually owns a publishing company Publishing
houses must submit information to the regulator.
Is there an antitrust law limiting concentration in the daily press
No
Is further regulation of media concentration expected No
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WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NEWSPAPERS - WORLD PRESS TRENDS 2003