The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has said it is concerned by fresh threats to the independence and sustainability of the Israeli public broadcaster KAN.
In a statement, it added that last month, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi was reported as saying ‘there is no place for public broadcasting in the State of Israel’.
The government subsequently threatened to withdraw funding from the public broadcaster. which would effectively shut down KAN and its news operation with the potential for significant job losses.
In recent days, it has revealed plans to remove KAN’s ability to earn commercial revenue – which will lead to a 13% reduction in income – and to transfer three (almost half) of the broadcaster’s most popular radio stations to commercial owners.
In an escalation of the current crisis, the Communications Minister has now written to the Board and Director General of KAN to question their reporting of the government’s judicial reforms and the protests held against them.
Commenting on the situation, EBU DG Noel Curran said: “Impartial news and information are critical to the functioning of a healthy democracy.
“We call on the Israeli government to safeguard the independence of our Member KAN and ensure it is allowed to operate in a sustainable way, with funding that is both stable, adequate, fair, and transparent”.
