During a celebration event held at the headquarters of Holcom Group in Beirut under the
patronage of H.E. the Minister of Tourism in the caretaker government Mr. Walid Nassar,
Cablevision announced the launch of a new strategic partnership with beIN MEDIA GROUP
(‘beIN’), one of the world’s foremost sports and entertainment networks.
The celebration was attended by the Minister of Tourism, H.E. Mr. Walid Nassar, the
Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Lebanon, H.E. Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, a
guest audience including ministers, members of parliament, general directors and senior
governmental officials. The attendees included the Minister of Information, H.E. Ziad Makari;
the Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. George Kallas; MPs Ibrahim Kanaan, Simon Abi Ramia,
Jihad Pakradouni, and Nicolas Sehnaoui; Advisor to the Prime Minister, former Minister Nicolas
Nahas; the Archbishop of the Maronite Archdiocese of Antelias, Bishop Antoine Bou Najm; and
officers representing the Army Commander, the Director General of General Security, and the
Director General of State Security, in addition to representatives of economic instances,
businessmen, diplomats, journalists, and managerial staff from the Holcom Group.
The celebration was hosted by journalist Rita Pia Antoun. After the Lebanese and Qatari
national anthems, Ms. Rana Zakhour, CEO of Globalcom Group, which includes Cablevision
among its companies, pronounced an opening speech during which she stated that Cablevision
will work to deliver beIN’s packages, content, and channels to the largest audience in Lebanon.
This strategic partnership will allow the company to secure exclusive redistribution rights for
beIN channels (via MVDS, DVBC, IPTV, and Analog networks) enabling subscribers in Lebanon to
have exclusive and comprehensive coverage of major sports events, including the UEFA EURO
2024 that will take place in Germany from June 14 to July 14, in addition to the 2026 FIFA World
Cup, and numerous other major and highly anticipated international sports events. Through
this strategic cooperation, viewers across Lebanon will be able to access sports and
entertainment coverage, confirming Cablevision’s firm commitment to providing the very best
for its customers. She added that the agreement will also protect and preserve the rights of
beIN in Lebanon, promising to maintain them with all available means, in cooperation with the
Lebanese State and its relevant administrations, and according to the applicable laws. She also
stressed on the importance of the collaboration of the private sector with the State, as
exemplified by Globalcom Group, an entity counting leading corporations in the fields of
telecommunications such as Globalcom Data Services (GDS), IDM, Cyberia, and Cablevbision.
She concluded by emphasizing that viewers in Lebanon will receive high-quality content with
unparalleled sound and image, with the certainty that this is done with utmost respect for the
regulations and laws pertaining to rights through official distributors of beIN.
For his part, Mr. Jassem Al-Muftah, Director of Corporate Communication of beIN for the MENA
region, who attended specially from Doha with a senior Qatari delegation, expressed his pride
at the new long-term partnership with Cablevision, particularly given that Lebanon is a key
market for beIN and that the Lebanese audience stand out for their love of sports and
entertainment. Viewers across Lebanon will now be able to enjoy beIN’s broad range of sports
and entertainment channels, including more than 30 of beIN’s flagship sports channels-beIN
SPORTS, plus entertainment channels on beIN MOVIES, beIN SERIES and much more from kids
to cooking channels. beIN holds one of the world’s largest portfolio of sports rights across
football, tennis, basketball and much more, and is the premium destination in the MENA region
for sports fans, broadcasting in three languages- Arabic, English and French – from its state-of-
the-art studios presented be the region’s leading presenters, commentators and analysts. He
also stated that the partnership with Cablevision is also in line with beIN’s continuous
endeavors to strengthen the Company’s position within the entertainment sector, especially
through the production of distinctive original content across beIN’s various subsidiaries, as beIN
has an extensive library of Hollywood blockbusters with an increasing presence in the
production and distribution of films and series, including the latest Arabic and Turkish works.
He ended with the hope that this step will bring many successes for both beIN and Cablevision
that exceed the expectations of sports and entertainment enthusiasts in Lebanon, as part of the
unwavering commitment to providing the best viewing experiences in the MENA region.
On his part, the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Lebanon HE. Sheikh Saud Bin Abdulrahman
Al-Thani affirmed Qatar’s support for Lebanon in all fields. He emphasized that the strategic
partnership between Cablevision and the beIN Media Group represents a pioneering step in
media cooperation between Qatar and Lebanon. He stated that this partnership lays the
foundation for further success in production and distribution, especially since beIN is one of the
world’s leading sports and entertainment networks. He concluded by stating that this
partnership will allow Lebanese and Arab audiences to follow important international programs
and events, opening avenues for constructive cooperation in this field.
Minister of Information, H.E. Mr. Ziad Makary, delivered a speech thanking Qatar and its people
for always standing by Lebanon and for implementing significant projects across all levels. He
stressed the importance of public-private cooperation and commended the significance of this
media agreement. He also emphasized the importance of what this agreement represents in
combating piracy, noting that it will form part of the legitimacy we all aspire to achieve. He
thanked the Ambassador of the State of Qatar, noting that since his arrival in Lebanon,
numerous projects have been initiated across cultural, health, educational, media, and sports
levels.
In conclusion, Minister of Tourism, H.E. Mr. Walid Nassar, delivered a speech highlighting the
importance of such agreements in various fields between Lebanon and Qatar. He praised the
importance of the partnership between Cablevision and the beIN Media Group, expressing
ongoing optimism despite all challenges, noting that the ministry is tirelessly working to make
Lebanese tourism better, anticipating a summer season full of hope and optimism. He
emphasized the role of the private sector, which, according to him, forms the backbone of
Lebanon and its economy along with the Lebanese diaspora. He explained that the private
sector funds the public sector, which has faced institutional collapse due to accumulated
problems in recent years. He thanked the State of Qatar through its Ambassador to Lebanon,
noting that Qatar has always supported Lebanon, especially in 2006, across educational, health,
and military sectors and continues to do so to this day. He affirmed that the state will
implement this agreement, protect it, and ensure its clauses are followed, combating all illegal
activities in the country. He added that the investments made by the Lebanese private sector
and the importance of adhering to signed contracts between the Lebanese private sector and
its Arab and foreign counterparts, inviting others to join, and announcing the state’s readiness
to help legalize these activities. He concluded by stating that he has issued a circular to all
licensed tourism institutions by the Ministry of Tourism to respect this agreement.
The strategic partnership between CableVision and beIN is a paramount event for both
companies as well as for customers in Lebanon. It will play a pivotal role in enhancing the
entertainment experience for viewers in Lebanon and will constitute a radical transformation in
the Lebanese market, as Cablevision embarks on an exciting journey to elevate its services to a
whole new level.
For over 30 years, Cablevision has been operating responsibly and professionally, and has
become today the leading content distribution network for television in Lebanon. The company
offers a unique entertainment experience around the clock, with unmatched image and sound
quality, and a very rich content package featuring more than 200 channels. The company has
built a network of exclusive agreements and partnerships with leading global satellite networks,
such as OSN, M6, Media Gates, MBC, Euronews, and of course beIN. This enables it to provide
subscribers in Lebanon with access to the latest, most comprehensive, and highest-quality
content in the world today, including top-rated international movies, sports, documentaries,
music, cartoons, series, news, fashion, and more. Most of these channels are available today in
HD quality.
With all the aforementioned global networks it works with, Cablevision is keen on protecting
broadcasting rights, as well as continuous communication with the Lebanese public to raise
awareness about this extremely important issue, and to contribute to gradually transforming
the Lebanese market into one that respects intellectual property and the applicable laws in
Lebanon and the world.
