Minister of Communications Shlomo Karai, logos of the Israeli channels/image processing, Reuven Castro, Kaan 11, Keshet 12, Network 13
Priorities: In the midst of the war, the Economic Committee will meet tomorrow (Monday) to discuss a bill whose purpose is to authorize millions of benefits for Channel 14, on the grounds that it is a pure channel that needs protection.
A similar government bill did not pass the ministries of justice and finance a few months ago on the grounds of inequity with the other channels.
so what are we doing?
Karai is trying to promote it in the economy committee through a private law of MK Ariel Kellner (Likud) in a detour route, which at the last moment, the competing commercial channels also catch a ride on.
According to the proposal, Channel 14 owned by Yitzhak Mirilshvili will be broadcast on Idan Plus, despite a debt to the second authority on the distribution of the broadcast and debts amounting to millions of shekels that he has accumulated over the years, and which are currently being discussed in court. This is a private bill initiated as mentioned by MK Kellner (Likud) with the support of the Minister of Communications Shlomo Karai, and it states that the distribution fees of the tiny channels must be reduced from 2 million shekels per year to only 15 thousand shekels per year.
Channel 14 is considered a tiny channel.
Since, according to the opinion of the legal advisors at the Ministry of Finance and Justice, there is no way that an unequal law of this type, which would only benefit Channel 14, could be passed by the High Court of Justice, the latest version that was recently approved by the Committee of Ministers, also includes the commercial channels Keshet 12 and Network 13, which will benefit from a sweeping payment reduction at a total cost of approx. -20 million shekels per year at the expense of the state.
MK Ariel Kellner, announcing the verdict of Kosai Abbas for attempted murder, throwing stones at vehicles, sabotage and rioting during the wall guard operation in the city of Acre, at the Haifa district court, July 13, 2023/Shlomi Gabai
The proposal embodies improper personal arrangements that clearly favor interested capitalists at the expense of the public purse and the public interest
The proposal does not specify the budgetary sources for financing and covering the channels' debts to the Second Authority (beyond the requirement to grant the Kerei the mandate to price the archive materials of the public broadcasting corporation "Kan", and deny it the ability to collect commercial rates for their use - an issue that would also benefit Channel 14) and embodies improper personnel arrangements that clearly favor interested capitalists at the expense of the public purse and the public interest.
The social association Lobby 99 stated that they are "opposed to the bill which gives benefits to the commercial channels, and to the capitalists who control them, at the expense of the public purse, and allows them to use public resources at a minimal cost, under the pretext of increasing competition and diversity in the media market. It is puzzling that precisely during the period The war, and the budget cuts resulting from it, the government is busy giving benefits to capitalists at the expense of the public purse."
Regarding the second part of the bill, which imposes on the public broadcasting corporation the obligation to allow the use of the archival materials for a payment limited to the costs of the current operation.
The lobby's claim that "the commercial broadcasters will therefore benefit twice at the expense of the public: once by receiving material, created with public funding and belonging to the public, at a negligible cost, and a second time - by receiving funding from advertisements or subscription fees for the use of these materials. The main loser from the bill is the public." .
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The Patriots December 23-24/screenshot, Channel 14
"Illegality and a clear violation of the public interest"
The Zolt Institute for Equality and Human Rights also opposes the law and said: "These proposals are proposals that hover above illegality and a clear violation of the public interest. They create personnel arrangements that are, in practice, tailored to the specific dimensions, situation and needs of Channel 14. In addition, they will cause a budgetary shortfall that will be burdened on The public. All of this without foundation and without justification, in a disproportionate manner, and in a way that will not result in increased competition.
"These invalid arrangements were brought without any factual basis or economic and competitive examination, and without the legislator being presented with the opportunity to examine the economic and public justification for such significant benefits to the broadcasting entities and the owners of the capital .
The granting of economic benefits of this type in the amount of tens of millions of NIS is invalid in any case, and doubly invalid in the current state of war emergency. It is absurd that even at this time the legislator chooses to engage in the provision of government benefits in huge sums to the capitalists, and to add unnecessary harm to the public, instead of acting in the public's interest and well-being." .
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"Likud's propaganda tool"
MK Boaz Toporovski (Yesh Atid) said: "Channel 14 is not a media body, but a propaganda tool of the Likud and its affiliates who, in exchange for its services, promote benefits tailored specifically for its needs.
The coalition does not learn from the experience of the Tiberias Law and the Fortress Law, the entry into force of which was rejected by the High Court of Justice, and continues to promote personal laws, this time for its home channel.
"This is another stage in the coalition's attempts to harm the free media in Israel.
I very much hope that this time there will be some of the coalition members who will not agree to cooperate with a law whose entire essence is inappropriate and improper public and legal aid to a channel whose main role is to praise the Prime Minister, his family and his political partners."
More on the same topic:
Idan Plus
Network
Rainbow
Shlomo Karai
Likud