Career
In 1992, he joined Télé Liban as a reporter and late-night news anchor. Soon afterwards, he became Télé Liban’s news correspondent at the Presidential Palace in Baabda. He started his first weekly talk show, "5/7" in 1995, and his investigative journalism made him a household name in Lebanon. The controversial issues he investigated, such as the dumping of toxic wastes, the Israeli kidnapping of Mousafa Aldirani and the ban of the Lebanese Forces, made headline news. He was often interrogated by the then Syrian-controlled government. Despite the Syrian-controlled government’s attempt to censor and even ban his program, he continued to produce his show. "5/7" became Télé Liban's longest running talk show in the 1990s and scored the highest rating for a single talk show episode in 1996. During his coverage of the Israeli "Grapes of Wrath" offensive on South Lebanon, Zaven did not hide his emotions as he brought the horrifying footage of the Israeli massacres at Qana and Mansouri villages to the world. The Syrian-controlled government was finally able to ban his show from airing on Télé Liban in 1998. Zaven shaved his head as an expression of protest. Seven months later, he moved to Future Television and started his new show, “Siré Wenfatahit,” which quickly became one of the most popular talk shows in the Arab world. In 2004, Zaven convinced four HIV positive individuals to appear on his show about life after AIDS and discrimination. This was the first time that HIV positive individuals appeared on any Arab channel without covering their faces. Also in 2004, he published his first book, Lebanon Shot Twice. Inspired by Oprah Winfrey, he launched the first Arab television book club, the "Nesreen Jaber Book Club". Zaven launched a new series, called Ana Ala'an (meaning Me Now) in 2006. The series aimed at giving the chance for Arab youth to express their thoughts and feelings on TV using their personal camera.
Read more about this topic: Zaven Kouyoumdjian
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