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.
The event concluded with a cocktail reception and various artistic and sports performances.
