LBC celebrated its birthday - the 40th - on August 23. It has been more than a decade since I last watched television, so I am no position to comment on anything as to how strong they are in the market now (at this point they are LBCI - international, to include their satellite channels). But no one, as in no one, can understate the seismic shift that occurred when LBC started broadcasting.
Prior to August 23rd 1985, the airwaves were basically locked between the "two" TeleLiban - Hazmieh and Tallet el Khayyat. One pro-Christian the other pro-Muslim. Then came the LBC hurricane. Not only "news" wise (obviously it was pro-Lebanese Forces, and legend goes its news anchors were paid in the same grade as a Captain in the Lebanese Forces - I have that info from a very liable source). But what LBC brought with it was Hunter, and Night Heat, Ton Amie Liliane, Medley (a foreign TV clip program by Bassem Christo), and the cinema analysis with Hyam Abou Chedid, then eventually Ahad 3al hawa with Riad Charara and Ahla bhal talle with May Matta (Matta was a new anchor who wanted to switch to entertainment), Nadi el Nawadi (which launched many local clubs - including the one from my village that made it to the finals), and the ubiquitous Studio el Fann (which migrated with TeleLiban along with the late maverick Simon Asmar), Laylet Hazz and Efta7 ya Semsom, then LBC - along with the unforgettable Dalida Baroud - later brought the first "sabah el kheir" (good morning) when they started broadcasting in the morning, eschewing the 2 P.M. onwards time which was prevalent for a long time in the Lebanese airwaves.
They transmitted Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir's becoming a patriarch, and the opulent wedding of Sethrida and Samir Geagea (she now an MP and his still head of the Lebanese Forces now that he was out of prison). Along with her designer-wedding dress and the hymns from the Gibran Khalil Gibran texts.
LBC was indeed, a master of many firsts. Again, I have no idea "where" they stand today in the market. But for a - very long while - their Midas touch transformed everything they touched into gold. For all these and much more building our collective memory, we salute them.