This issue of the News Supplement is born in the womb of suffering, at the heart of the multiple crises faced by the Lebanese, the most recent of which is the coronavirus epidemic that is instilling great fear in them, and depriving them, as it is the case in all other nations, of the most basic citizenship rights, and probably internationally recognized human rights. Perhaps citizenship rights in Lebanon, or their absence, suffer the most in times of crises and wars. The Lebanese today look at the citizens of civilized countries and see how their governments provide them with food, without being left with the feeling that they are granted favors and without the mediation of a political figure who is intent on keeping afloat through in-kind aid, sanitizing campaigns and financial leftovers.
What role does the media play in this regard? Eloquent, or rather disciplinary, news bulletins introductions are not enough to raise genuine awareness. They may be counterproductive in a society that has faced all sorts of challenges and has permanently challenged the authorities and law to assert itself.
It is not enough for the media to say to citizens, their fathers, brothers, neighbors, and relatives, “Stay at home.” Media professionals are supposed to tell them to take advantage of the time spent in home quarantine to do something useful and engage in beneficial work so that they can catch up on delayed tasks, read, study, and carry out work feasible from home. They can also seek solitude to think about the many future challenges they need to confront.
It is also necessary to raise citizens’ awareness of their basic rights and duties. It is not enough to grumble, complain, highlight problems and even overemphasize them, as if defenseless citizens were able to come up with solutions.
It is a time for families to meet, think together, plan the future, and get acquainted with quality media, albeit poor in numbers and means, rather than cheap commercial media that is void of meaningful content.