Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and MK Tali Gottlev (both Likud) plan to introduce a draft law at Sunday’s meeting of the Ministerial Legislation Committee to privatize Israel’s public broadcaster, which broadcasts under the name Kan.
The draft law aims to privatize the Kan channel by ending its public funding and transferring responsibility for operating television and radio broadcasting to private sector owners within two years of the law being passed.
Opponents of the bill claim it is intended to threaten public broadcasting and is an attempt to silence an important voice.
If the bill passes, the Board of Directors of the Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation will have to submit to the Minister of Communications, the Minister of Finance and the Second Authority for Television and Radio, a list of the corporation’s assets. Under the draft law, the Second Authority for Television and Radio will, within a year of receiving the list, publish a tender to select the licensee for television broadcasting. After six months, the Second Radio and Television Authority will announce its decision on the winner of the tender. If no winner is chosen, “the public broadcaster will cease broadcasting and cease all broadcast-related activities within two years of this law taking effect.”
Regarding radio, under the bill, all public broadcasting will cease within two years of the bill coming into effect, with the exception of Reshet Bet broadcasting (especially news and current affairs). Within one year of receipt of the list of assets of the General Broadcasting Corporation, the Second Authority for Television and Radio will publish a tender for a national radio broadcasting license for that radio station. The bill states that the licensee will be allowed to broadcast advertising, sponsorships and public service announcements.
“No longer relevant”
The preamble of the draft law stated: “The budget of the Public Broadcasting Corporation consists of two sources: a government budget specified by law and linked to the consumer price index, and a budget based on the collection of car radio fees. This budget amounts to 800 million shekels.” “This is a very high amount, and even those who believe in the importance of public broadcasting are surprised by its size.”
The preamble also states that in the age of multi-channel television and the widely accessible Internet, “the claim that public broadcasting is necessary to provide a response to the multiculturalism that exists in Israel is no longer relevant.”
According to Karhi and Gottliff, canceling public broadcasting in Israel will enhance competition in the telecommunications market and encourage a free market in that region.
A flurry of bills
This is not the first bill proposed recently to deal with telecommunications or public broadcasting. A few weeks ago, MK Shalom Danino (Likud) introduced a bill to establish a government-supervised ratings board, which would measure TV channel ratings and present them to viewers in real time. It should be said that the technology to do this does not exist at present.
In addition, MK Avichai Boron (Likud) proposed a bill to subordinate the funding of the public broadcaster to the state budget, so that it could be reduced in line with cuts in public spending generally during the war.
Several members of the public broadcaster’s board of directors recently reached the end of their terms, after not extending them. Among them is President Gil Omar.
Karhi posted on the
Gottlief tweeted a screenshot of an interview with MK Ahmed Tibi (Come) and wrote: “Next week, when the company privatization bill is introduced, don’t ask me why. The program that glorifies the arch-murderer Yasser Arafat is the one that drove the final nail in the coffin of funding this disgrace.” Before people claim to suppress freedom of expression, we make clear that every person has the right to express their opinions and actions, but it is not at our expense to fund any means of communication for their deviant ideas.”
Haters have spoken out in the past against the public broadcaster in favor of its closure. But the last time, when the country was caught in a storm over changes to the justice system promoted by the government, he did not have a majority in the coalition, and was forced to surrender. Now he is back on the move.
The Foundation: We will not be deterred
The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation said in a statement: “The coordinated explosion of legislative attempts against the Public Broadcasting Corporation and fake news spread by elements in the television market that have an interest in shutting down the institution and controlling its audience.” Funding will not prevent us from continuing our professional journalistic work without fear or favour.”
The campaign stated for the original content: “At this complicated time for the State of Israel, at a time when the public needs refuge and morale, at this time Shlomo Karhi is working with all his might, along with Likud MKs Gottlief, Boaron and others, to eliminate On the institution, as MK Matan Kahane said: “The Israeli people have not yet begun the process of healing from a difficult year of war, and instead of calm and unification, the minister proposes pouring a barrel of gasoline on the fire of division and incitement.”
“We call on all elected representatives of the public to oppose these measures, and we will be there to fight all the schemes of his haters and friends, at all times and places, and we call on him to start working for the benefit of the people.” “The content and communications market in Israel, instead of trying to destroy it.”
Published by Globes, Israel Business News – en.globes.co.il – on November 20, 2024.
© Copyright Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2024.