Paying the Piper

In Beirut (pop. 500,000), capital of Lebanon, newspapers flock thick as thieves. Beirut's press platoon of more than 40 papers ekes out a precarious and intensely seasonal life. The largest of the papers has fewer than 20,000 subscribers. Between elections, all but a few shrink to two-page flyers, printed twice a week in obedience to a law that revokes the franchise of any newspaper less regular. But come election time, Beirut's papers turn daily and take on weight. Last week, on the eve of Lebanese national elections, Al Beiraq (The Banner), one of Beirut's more successful publications (circ. 6,000), unabashedly front-paged an explanation of what makes Beirut's papers grow at voting time.

"Certain candidates or their supporters," said Al Beiraq, "are under the impression that Al Beiraq is obliged to publish news about candidates for election to Parliament, and to make propaganda for them. Al Beiraq wishes to make it succinctly clear that it is not going to publish anything of the sort for anyone.

"Electoral propaganda in the form of features, news reports, and pictures falls into the category of advertising. Advertisements are published for a price. Al Beiraq is not dependent on any political party, group, electoral list or individual candidate. It will gladly publish candidates' electoral advertisements in return for a price to be discussed with the management."

To make his point even clearer, Al Beiraq Editor Fadel S. Akl informed interested politicians that they could buy space either as a political advertisement or as a straight news story. Said Editor Akl: "Those who disagree with me politically will naturally have to pay more."

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