How refreshing...

Lebanon’s TV and print media scene was dynamic, provocative and covered hot topics way before Osama bin Laden put Aljazeera (and by extension its politically promiscuous Qatari patron) on the map.

Given recent events over the past three years, Lebanese political talk shows have had no shortage of topics to cover. Israel, Syria, assassinations, bombings, tit-for-tats between March 8 and March 14, internecine war, you name it…

In consideration of the euphoria surrounding St. Michel Suleiman’s recent election, however, it seems that people have moved on. Talk shows seems more into infotainment these days. For example, tonight, Al-Jadeed (former New TV) brought clown Wi’am Wahhab as the principal guest on the episode to discuss Saudi-US relations and petrol politics. Wahhab was so excited: he came prepared with statistics and quotes, and was being all scholarly-like. It was about as ludicrous as watching a prostitute give a lecture on abstinence and chastity.

The media again seems to want to talk about quality of life, and not quantity of life. The Daily Star’s editorial yesterday wasn’t condemning the political class for robbing citizens of their lives – it was condemning Electricite du Liban (and by extension the political class) of robbing the citizenry of their livelihoods. Marcel Ghanem’s Kalam elNas today was talking about stolen cars and corruption…

Lebanon is back my friends. Little will change on the ground. But at least we can have more interesting talk debates.