Divers Forward: During the three years of the merger - News 13 was soon cut to a fifth

The main edition of News 13 recorded its lowest figure in 18 years.

How did this happen, where did the viewers leave, and why on the way there the board of directors of Network 13 did not miss any opportunity to make a wrong decision |

Interpretation

David Wertheim

17/05/2022

Tuesday, 17 May 2022, 15:21 Updated: 15:36

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The data from the rating committee show that the merger between News 10 and a network channel, which was supposed to produce a bang in Israeli television consumption in general and news consumption in particular, and to be relevant competition for the dominant Keshet news, actually led to the news company crash.

News 13 yesterday (Monday) recorded a (further) low in its already faltering viewing figures, and stabilized at a rating of 5% of Jewish households for the main edition - opposite it stood News 12 with more than three times.

The reasons for this, by their nature, are also complex and depend on the channel's own broadcast schedule, and the broadcasts that the competitors decided to place opposite - in the case of Keshet's successful "Wedding at First Sight", and yet it's hard not to dwell on this depressing historical figure.

When it comes to the rest of the network's broadcast schedule, the picture is only getting sharper - even in recent weeks, when Network 13's prime time ratings strengthened (relatively), News 13 continued to keep data low.

On a broader view, it turns out that News 13, built on the historic ruins of the new News 10, has slowly become an anchor - a weight.

The data from the rating committee (see graph) show that the merger between News 10 and a network channel, which was supposed to create a bang in Israeli television consumption in general and news consumption in particular, and constitute relevant competition for the dominant Keshet news, actually led to the news company crash.

Looking at the data it has obtained in recent months, it can be cautiously estimated that had it not been for the corona waves and Operation Wall Guard that made the news a basic commodity, the 13th edition situation might have been much worse.

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To the full article

As expected, changing the showcase was not enough.

Udi Segal and Hila Korach (Photo: screenshot, News 13)

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Almost a value destruction

For example, compared to the first half year after the merger (January 16 onwards, February, March, April and May 2019) compared to the same period this year - News 13 averaged 9.4% compared to 17.5% for News 12. Today, (January, February, March , April and May 2022) it stands at an average of 7.8% compared to 16.9% for News 12. In other words: while News 12 has fallen by 3.3% since the merger, News 13 has dipped by 17.3% - meaning they have lost a battle to one-fifth of their value within three years.

This is almost a value destruction.

In terms of market share, News 13 stood in the first months of the merger (January 16 onwards, February, March, April and May 2019) for a share of 34.9% of all news on commercial television.

Today (January, February, March, April and May 2022) the share already stands at only 31.4%.

News data 12 and 13 (Photo: ShutterStock)

Where are the viewers leaving?

Another interesting point concerns News 12, which has also been significantly cut.

Precisely this fact raises a fundamental question for News 13: How is it that News 12 leavers have not moved to your pitch?

Even after deducting the (numerous) upheavals that News 13 underwent under the changes in the channels it broadcast (from 10 to 14 to 13 in less than five years) and the frequent changes in ownership of the parent company Network 13, and setting aside the frequent changes in the company's management itself ( Three news CEOs in about three years), it is difficult to pinpoint one reason for the decline in viewing volumes, but it is easy to determine that it is clear and significant. Len Belvatnik, who came to the company without any media background, and has led a long series of moves in the last three years (including the dismissal and separation of a number of CEOs in the news and the channel itself), and approval (not to mention a push) of a series of conceptual changes in the news. Significantly one of them who succeeded.

Apart from the function of the chairman, one can also point to some general objective processes that played out in News 13: the growing weakness of linear commercial television (broadcasting) over streaming and VOD platforms. Although it is relatively behind the Western world, in fact, 2019 was a turning point in which more than 50% of viewers did not watch prime-time commercial channels, but consumed their content on other channels.

Another interesting point concerns the strong competitor, and some would say its monopolist, News 12, which has also been significantly cut, in recent years.

Precisely this fact raises a fundamental question for News 13: How is it that News 12 leavers have not moved to your pitch?

There are also many and tortuous explanations for this;

Partial list: Aggressive campaign for self-branding (with the support of the opposition leader, Benjamin Netanyahu) of Channel 14 as a "news channel" that did not really help News 13 with the ever-establishing "biblical" image, a list of embarrassing journalistic and television incidents - starting with the bizarre incident in Ukraine at the beginning of the war Where a scene from "Star Wars" accidentally entered the news reports and was broadcast like this throughout the day, through a strange decision to broadcast in front of MK Idit Silman's exclusive interview on Keshet News, after her decision to retire from the coalition, excerpts from a June 2021 interview. Right to news 13), to daily journalistic and managerial decisions that some call childish.

A senior TV journalist, provided a fresh example just from last week that illustrates how the news editors at 13 do not understand where their real problem is and are engaged in Assaf battles: "Amit Segal had an interview with the ousted MK, Yom Tov Kalfon from the right. "But in the name of the war, News 13 decided that they must, and political correspondent Lior Keinan stood at his door and had a short conversation with him in front of the camera. There did not seem to be any rational thought there beyond the war for the sake of war. That is not the main problem."

News 13 knows (or maybe not?) That if they had obtained more significant viewing figures, or succeeded in significantly influencing the Israeli agenda, they would not have encountered Kalfon's refusal to be interviewed by them, and his preference to give exclusivity to Rainbow 12 competitors.

His entry into the position was accompanied by quite a few expectations.

Aviram Elad (Photo: Flash 90, Yonatan Zindel)

Ongoing identity crisis

"It does not matter at all what your TV-news identity is, want to be a bibist? Be a bibist. Want a left? Be a left. Just decide what and who you are."

In about two months, the CEO of News 13, as mentioned - the third in the last three years, Aviram Elad, will conclude his first year in office. In terms of viewing volumes, it will convey a clear identity and differentiation from the competition.

This was in fact the main reason for bringing it.

One of Elad's first steps was to replace the showcase of News 13, Tamar Ish-Shalom, and to place Hila Korach as the presenter of the main edition.

"Beyond the ratings, there is a process of refreshing and a message of a new identity, less buttoned up and more accessible - like Korach herself," they tried to explain to Walla!

Brenze factors in the company.

Since then, the viewing figures have only plunged further, and at the same time, unfortunately for the management, so has the weekend news - which in the past was an island of (relatively) stability and which Ish-Shalom entered instead of Korach.

Although Elad tried to formulate orderly work procedures in the edition, and showed obvious editorial responsibility during the controversial coverage of the terrorist hunt in Tel Aviv, he also appointed a number of managers and senior editors under him - who failed to reinforce the aspect of his inexperience - And did not provide receipts.

A senior TV market official told Walla!

Brenze "It does not matter at all what your TV-news identity is, want to be a bibist? Be a bibist. Want a left? Be a left. Just decide what and who you are. "At the moment, it seems that this is a disappointment."

• Brenze

• news

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• Udi Segal

• Aviram Elad

• News 13

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