LMP Byblos
channel launched

Sponsors required to expand broadcast

Lebanese Media Production Byblos began formal broadcasting yesterday. The channel had launched its pilot transmission in February 2014.

LMP Byblos will broadcast cultural, social, health, sports, and diversified programs, except for political programming. “We have registered the channel at the Ministry of Information and are still working with it and with the General Security to set its final license,” said General Manager, Georges Mikhael. LMP will be a non-political station, with a second or third category license.

Some of the channel’s 13 programs are sponsored by the Municipality of Byblos. It currently transmits only across Byblos, through fiber optic satellite dishes. “Once we find the appropriate sponsors, we will be able to move to regular satellite broadcasting and cover the whole country and the world,” Mikhael said.

Mikhael, who was an LBC employee for 15 years, launched the channel with co-owners Joseph El Khoury and Geryes Mehanna. Mikhael said that his initiative started two years ago, when he acquired a $200,000 loan from Kafalat to launch the station.

Several regional local stations rely on broadcast advertisements only. “We are the first regional channel to broadcast programs and to hire employees,” Mikhael said. The station, which employs seven, will provide interested media students from the region with employment opportunities.