A free press? Until it gets to the company's executives. Network 13's deterrence methods - Walla! Berenger

In recent weeks, Channel 13 News has prided itself on the confrontational and critical line it has taken towards the regime coup in Israel – with a great deal of justice (even if it is late and clumsy justice as far as it is concerned). The company, which has been dealing with dwindling viewership in recent years, has tried in recent weeks to market the departure of stars such as Ayala Hasson and Sharon Gal into the arms of competitors as a "stone that has been revealed," and even embarked on a timely campaign, carried on top of the natural buzz of the protest, which is attached to the hashtag "free press."

The meaning, for them, beyond the banal and obvious hashtag and slogan, is not just a campaign, advertising signs and banners, but a "new line" of the presenters and senior channel executives, which includes attempts to distribute viral monologues and the expression of unequivocal positions against attempts to harm Israeli democracy (and so far, where has this criticism been? - but that's not what we gathered to talk about). In those not-too-distant days, a company executive even swore to me that this was not an opportunistic stunt or a marketing gimmick – "We saw an opportunity," he said. We were glad to hear, long live the free press.

So let's try to dismantle for a moment this phrase "free press" as it is perceived in network corridors.
A threatening letter – there's no way to call it otherwise – was sent to me this week from a network office. Its headline: "Erroneous and tendentious publications regarding Media Network Inc." The sender, one of the largest law firms in Israel, has been representing Network 13 – Fisher Law Firm for years.

Reshet Building 13, March 2022 (Photo: Reuven Castro)

This is a groundbreaking letter - it does not contain a single example of a controversial publication, it does not mention a single date when an erroneous report was published. It's all a threat to a journalist - from the first letter to the last

Here are some quotes from the letter. I'll admit that I've rubbed my eyes quite a few times to realize that I'm reading what I'm reading: "Over the past few months, you've posted a series of online posts on your Twitter account. These are tendentious and unbalanced publications, which contain erroneous and defamatory factual claims against the network and cause it great damage... In many cases, a basic factual check prior to publication would have allowed the network to set things straight; And go - refrain from publishing baseless claims. Under these circumstances, it is difficult to shake the impression that these things are being done deliberately, with the intention of damaging the network."

This is a letter that includes eight sections, that circles around itself, does not give a single libelous figure, does not present a single argument against publications, does not present a single controversial quote. Nothing. The letter's authors make amorphous claims about "erroneous," "tendentious," "unbalanced" publications (it's nice to learn from web news with their new branding attempts at "balancing" what it is – a great example can be found just last week in their main newscast) and so on – but its writers refrain from giving a single example. And pose a threat - "the publications cause damage to the network" meaning that you may have to pay for these damages.

This is a letter that like it I have never encountered - these are not the usual letters in which various parties send a preliminary paper before a libel suit (with a prominent logo of a reputable law firm), detailing exactly what libel damage they might suffer if an erroneous report is published in their case, nor is it an ordinary letter in which the subject of an investigative report complains about an article published in our eyes and demands that it be removed from the Internet, Or demand an immediate apology for it. Such letters are sent dozens and hundreds every year to every media system in Israel. This is a groundbreaking letter - it does not contain a single example of a controversial publication, it does not mention a single date when an erroneous report was published. It's all a threat to a journalist - from the first letter to the last letter.

Nadav Topolsky (Photo: Pazit Oz)

Reflecting severe distress

This bullying letter joins the feeling that the top echelons of the network are trying to silence in a violent and unjournalistic manner – legitimate criticism that is often heard about the decision-making mechanism in the company's management and board of directors

In fact, it is not clear what caused Reshet 13 to issue this strange letter and why now? Perhaps these are the rumors (vehemently denied online) in recent days about possible changes in the chair of CEO and Deputy CEO? Is it possible that the company is willing to accept reports about the quality of the broadcasts, invective, alleged sexual harassment and endless technical and editorial glitches in the broadcast - but only when it comes to the interpretation presented as such, about the chair of the CEO - then the doomsday weapon is used - Fisher Law Firm?

So here, despite the threats, I will still write: This bullying letter joins the feeling that the top echelons of the network are trying to silence in a violent and unjournalistic manner – legitimate criticism that is often heard about the decision-making mechanism in the company's management and board. The director of a media organization cannot threaten to silence a journalist. Not only because it is immoral and indicates ignorance in the field - but first of all because it is an unintelligent move. Almost heart-wrenching in the context of a network, its executives and chairman, and reflects severe distress.

Letter from a media network lawyer to the editor of Walla! Berenger David Wertheim(Photo: screenshot, screenshot)

Divide and conquer

Bullying becomes even more acute when you understand the balance of power – a major media outlet in Israel, which has millions in revenue and is held by one of the richest people in the world, sends a silencing letter to the Twitter account of a field reporter covering it

And another unique (though not groundbreaking) thing about this letter - Reshet makes sure to address the letter to the journalist himself, to me, not to my editors and not to my editorial staff. It knows why it does it – nothing could be more paralyzing than separating the journalist from his systemic protections, from the legal and financial backing that the system in which he works can provide him. When Reshet addresses the letter to me personally, referring only to posts I wrote on Twitter, it is actually implying that if you don't straighten up immediately, we'll have to sue you personally.

You, not your system. and you will not receive any indemnity or backing from it. You're alone now. In front of us. Opposite Fisher's office. It's a cynical move, but it's even more cynical when it comes from a news company with many worthy journalists, which knows very well the difference between a journalist who is forced to defend himself with his limited economic powers and a journalist to whom the editorial board provides legal backing, including the provision of a lawyer on its behalf and the promise of indemnification and compensation.

The bullying in this case becomes even sharper when you understand the balance of power here – a major media outlet in Israel, which has millions in revenue and is held by one of the richest people in the world, sends a silencing letter to the Twitter account of a reporter covering it, and why? Not a single false publication is proven. Just like that, Network 13 is not satisfied - so silence. #עיתונות free. I wonder what News 13 executives will have to say about this.

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• Reshet 13
• News 13
• freedom of speech