New Study Reveals Shift in Lebanese Media Uses During the 2026 War and Highlights Political Attitudes and Polarization

Mobile phones, WhatsApp, and social media overtake Television: The study found that mobile phones and social media have become central sources of war information while television retreated and radio almost disappeared.

Beirut, Lebanon – June 1, 20206 — A new nationally representative study examines media uses and political attitudes during the 2026 Israeli war on Lebanon and reveals a historic transformation in how audiences consume wartime information, alongside significant political divisions across age, religion and income levels. Conducted by the director of the Institute of Media Research and Training at Lebanese American University Professor Jad Melki and his team, through a nationwide survey of 1,000 participants, the study investigates the media platforms and news sources audiences prioritize and trust during war and explores how media uses intersect with political attitudes. The findings indicate a major turning point in Lebanon’s media landscape: for the first time, television lost its position as the dominant source of wartime news to social media platforms, especially WhatsApp.

• 73% of audiences accessed war news through mobiles, 63% through television screens, and 2% through radio sets.
• WhatsApp emerged as the leading news platform, with 59% relying on it for war-related information. Other social media platforms followed at 41%, while television news ranked third at 38%, and radio news barely registered 1%.

Heavy news consumption but limited public expression: While audiences closely followed the war news, most remained passive consumers. The majority (50%) followed the war news continuously or very closely, but 82% never posted or shared war news on social media. Among those who did, 53% used WhatsApp, 22% used Facebook, 14% used Instagram, 7% used TikTok.

A strong generational divide in media habits: Younger audiences relied more on WhatsApp and social media for news, while older generations continued to depend on television. Younger audiences were also more likely to post war-related content online.

Shared perception of Israel as the enemy amid broader political divisions: Despite major political differences across Lebanon, the study found broad agreement regarding Israel: 87% agreed that Israel is their enemy, 51% viewed the United States as their enemy, and 38% viewed Iran as their enemy. Political attitudes regarding the conflict diverged:

• 54% agreed diplomacy is the only path to liberation, while 35% supported armed resistance as the only path.
• 51% agreed that Israel should be destroyed, while 34% supported signing a peace agreement with Israel.
• 47% believed liberating Palestine is their duty, while 39% believed liberating Palestine is not their responsibility.