About six months ago, the CEO of Network 13 (then still as interim CEO) Yoram Altman made a move that was seen as a revolution: taking the promo department outside the walls of the channel, in what was revealed at the time in Vala!
Barangay and was defined as "clearing and rebuilding the department, while outsourcing it to Prometheus, the creative and promo company considered the largest in Israel".
It must be understood, the promo department is not another department.
In the television industry, she is considered the one who leads and dictates the promotional and advertising strategy for all the channel's departments and the production of products for the channel's various programs and ventures in all media, including the television screen, billboards, digital, newspapers and radio broadcasts.
In the network, the department numbered about 30 people, and as part of the organizational change that took effect in early August 2022, most of the department's employees were assured that they would be expected to move to work from the "Prometheus" offices.
A senior official at Network 13 even said at the time to Walla!
Barangay that "the rationale is that most of the department's employees will continue their work."
13 Reshet Building, March 2022 (Photo: Reuven Castro)
Despite the statements - less than ten employees moved
"We received the answers yes or no via text message," adds the employee, "and for some people it was even written: We don't need you because we have someone in house who can do your job, which also goes against what we were told in advance."
But in practice, that's how Wala found out!
Barangay, only a few employees have actually started working at Prometheus, in what is increasingly being portrayed as a move of "quiet layoffs" that have received a particularly effective purge.
An employee in the department that was closed says: "Several weeks before the closing, following rumors that spread everywhere, we requested a meeting with Altman in which we introduced him in a presentation about the work of the department and everything we do, and at the end of the meeting we asked him directly, 'Are you closing the department' and he answered 'No.' I mean he lied, he said he was checking how we could strengthen our department with additional professionals, but he completely refuted the rumors."
According to him, "A few days later, he initiated a meeting in Hula in which he said that he was not satisfied with the management of the department and therefore decided to transfer the entire department to Prometheus. When we tried to understand exactly how this would happen, were all the employees transferred as they are to the new company, we were told no, and promised that employees would transfer With all their conditions and even network employees will remain, and freelancers will receive a letter terminating the employment from Network and renegotiate with Prometheus. There will be a network promo department with network employees in Prometheus, that's how they presented it."
As mentioned, in practice at Prometheus they did meet with all the employees, but out of the 25 salaried employees - only 7 employees remained, when all the rest were fired.
"We received the yes or no answers via SMS," adds the employee, "and for some people it was even written: We don't need you because we have someone in house who can do your job, which also goes against what we were told in advance."
Another employee who worked in the department that was closed adds: "In practice, no one has understood until today why the promo department, which was one of the most outstanding on the channel and won numerous international awards, more than any other broadcasting body, was closed.
Altman told us that he was not satisfied with the management of the department, but he never called the VP of Promotion or anyone else in the department and said concretely what he was not satisfied with and what needed to be fixed."
In the enclosed article, it will be noted that the first major launch that Prometheus did for Network 13 was that of "Chef Games" - and it was also the lowest in the program's history in terms of viewership.
Up to this point, the event may be seen as an act of problematic management and lack of transparency, but cases of this type may happen in the reality of a dynamic industry suffering from continuous financial bleeding.
Now a slightly different reality is emerging.
Yoram Altman (photo: official website, Naa Nir)
The personal assistant on behalf of Gravity
But in practice, according to Network 13 officials, even months after his appointment, Gravity's personal assistant is by his side on a regular basis, next to Reshet's, who sits next to him
Network 13 CEO Yoram Altman is a seasoned and skilled television personality who has been serving as a senior director at Network 13 for years, but in his second hat he is co-founder and chairman of the creative and visual effects group Gravity (Gravity).
This is a post-production and production company, which has huge clients in Israel and around the world such as Bezeq, Pelephone, Castro, Libra and Samsung.
In the announcement of his appointment as permanent CEO issued by Network 13, it is stated that "since he founded Gravity in 1995 and under his leadership, the group has become a market leader in its field and a significant and award-winning player in the world's television and film industry.
" Quiet, according to which Network 13 transfers to Prometheus a huge annual budget of tens of millions of shekels - and those who are direct competitors of Gravity, will not steal budgets or compete in tenders against it.
Be that as it may, Network 13 legally surrounded the alleged conflict of interest that could arise between the hats, and announced immediately upon his appointment that he would not deal with Gravity's affairs and that his partner Sharon Konufani would temporarily step into his shoes.
However, in practice, Altman remained as a director and shareholder in the company.
By the way, a similar rounding was also done in the appointment of the Deputy CEO Meir Kotler, who owns one of the largest talent agencies in Israel. However, in practice, according to sources at Network 13, even months after his appointment, the channel has a Gravity personal assistant by his side on a regular basis, next to her of a network, sitting next to him.
Survival (photo: screenshot, network 13)
Outsourcing?
depends on whose
The post was miraculously deleted a few minutes later, but voila!
A well-known barangay on behalf of Gravity dealt with the issue quite a few executives who actually led the entire launch campaign.
Among other things, the "after" person and the person responsible for the creative - which are considered central in leading this type of campaign
This is not the end of the close relationship.
One of the explanations that Altman provided to the employees in the promo department closing call was that he is not interested in outsourcing, and "he wants everything to be done in one place".
However, an innocent thank you post published this week by the creative director responsible for the promos of Network 13 - who actually serves as Prometheus' contact person - for the "Survival" program, revealed proof of a business relationship between Prometheus and Gravity.
The post was miraculously deleted a few minutes later (see photo), but voila!
Barangay learned that on behalf of Gravity, quite a few senior officials who actually led the entire launch campaign dealt with the issue.
Among other things, the "after" person and the person responsible for the creative - which are considered central in leading this type of campaign.
A senior official in the industry well versed in the details says: "At no point in Network 13 did they announce or convey that Prometheus would work together with Altman's company. Not only did they outsource - but Altman got himself a few more jobs through the back door."
However, another source explains: "It is not at all certain that this is an improper move, but rather the conduct of a channel that does not really understand the profile and the climate in which it finds itself."
The source gives an example related to visibility, on the part of another board member, Deputy CEO Meir Kotler - until recently Lior Shlain's agent, and most likely in the future as well, when he returns to his office: "What is the logic, as soon as you take office, to hold a meeting with a person who received from the 13 Tenzah network A million shekels for sitting at home.
They don't say it's forbidden, but don't they understand that it looks bad?"
Promo for survival, including thanks to gravity (photo: screenshot, screenshot)
Post promo for survival, after the deletion.
Gravity is out (photo: screenshot, screenshot)
Network 13: "The contract has been approved by the board of directors"
Network 13 responded: "Gravity is considered the most professional post house in Israel, and for many years long before Yoram was appointed to any position in the network, the network used the company's post services - so did almost all the television channels, including Keshet and the Corporation. For example, almost all of the Eurovision openings, including the clip of Neta Barzilai were made at Gravity. So was the mythological opening of the show Misses. In the new promo of Shisharot there was a very complex post work. In the schedules and the quality of the product that were required, only Gravity could provide a quality product. The contract was approved by the board of directors even though, by virtue of being a private company network, such approval was not required As
for the number of employees who moved to Prometheus, it was reported that "ten permanent employees moved and in addition four freelancers who were our occasional freelancers."
Barangay
news
Tags
Network 13
Meir Kotler
survival
Network