“We Will Use All The Tools At Our Disposal”: Israeli Networks Form Emergency Forum To Oppose New Government Media Bill
deadline.comIsraeli networks have taken the unprecedented step of banding together to form an emergency group forum opposing the government’s new media bill.
A statement from Reshet 13, Keshet 12 and public broadcaster Kan said the Israeli TV Channels Forum will “operate in an emergency mode in order to prevent the expected harm to media independence and freedom of the press as a result of the reform.” The group of decades-old channels are responding to a bill championed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, which they say has made “the takeover of the media market the government’s next target” – following the controversial judicial reform.
The proposals, which are expected to pass but not for months, include the significant reduction of local original content quotas, the creation of a new regulator whose members would largely be chosen by the government and which could meddle with Israeli content, the cancellation of the requirement for networks to obtain independent licenses in order to broadcast news content and the oversight of ratings data by a government committee.
Today, the new forum said it will “use all the tools at its disposal to prevent the dangerous move of a hostile takeover of the Israeli media,” although it didn’t elaborate on next steps.
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