of the most debated subjects in the country. These debates have surpassed all critical analyses regarding the political crises and economic downturns that have plagued Lebanon since the autumn of 2019, affecting every sector, institution and social stratum. The study takes a historical perspective in mapping the media landscape, analysing the regulatory frameworks of the media profession in Lebanon, and assessing the transformations that have occurred, especially between 2011 and 2023. It concluded that the structural distortions of the ruling political system, alongside the sectarian and familial nature of media ownership, outdated media laws, the absence of robust journalist unions, and the failure of the economic model of media institutions, have made the Lebanese media system beholden to the "whims" of financiers and politicians who provide it with financial backing. The study finds that the majority of media outlets in Lebanon have become political platforms utilised as necessary, exacerbating the country's tensions resulting from its crises. Consequently, it has become challenging to regard the Lebanese journalistic model as "pluralistic" in the sense intended by American researcher William Rugh, as its system has fragmented into sectarian, doctrinal, political and partisan "pluralities". Keywords: Lebanese Media System, Political System, Economic Model, Sectarianism, Journalistic Pluralism.
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