LONDON: Israeli ministers have approved a controversial bill to privatize the country’s public broadcaster, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan) within two years, effectively eliminating Israel’s last remaining public media outlet.
The proposal, backed by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Likud MK Tally Gotliv, received support from the Ministerial Committee on Legislation on Sunday.
If passed, the bill will require the government to issue a tender to sell the broadcaster’s television and radio networks. Should no private operator come forward, Kan will be shuttered and its archives and intellectual property rights transferred to the state.
The Attorney General’s Office has raised significant legal and practical concerns about the legislation, describing it as a direct threat to press freedom.
In a position paper sent to Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Deputy Attorney General Avital Sompolinsky and Adv. Meir Levin warned the proposal sent a “clear and serious” signal that critical reporting or content unfavorable to the government could lead to punitive measures against media outlets.
“The bill’s immediate significance is the full and total elimination of public broadcasting in Israel, fundamentally altering Israeli media,” they wrote. “Such a drastic decision cannot be made hastily through a private bill, without a solid expert foundation, and in contradiction to the government’s prior approach to this matter”.
Proponents of the bill argue that public broadcasting is outdated and has become “obsolete,” citing Kan’s “exceptionally large budget” and alleged low viewing figures.
They further argue that the move is necessary to “increase competition” in the media market, saying that the widespread availability of internet platforms and multi-channel television means public service media no longer serve their original purpose of addressing Israel’s multiculturalism.
Addressing the company’s employees, Kan CEO Golan Yochpaz rejected these claims, accusing the government of undermining press independence and manipulating statistics.
“They’re trying to confuse us with linear television viewing data, an outdated statistic that is irrelevant to public television, which does not need to sell advertising,” Yochpaz said, warning privatization would deprive millions of viewers of free access to events like the Eurovision Song Contest and World Cup.
The Journalists Union and Media Employees Union also condemned the proposal, calling it a “serious blow to press freedom” and a threat to the job security of Kan’s employees.
The unions warned that the bill undermined democracy by silencing critical voices and eroding journalistic independence.
The move comes amid heightened tensions over media freedom in Israel. Just hours earlier, the Knesset severed ties with Haaretz following comments by publisher Amos Schocken referring to Palestinian militants as “freedom fighters.”
The newspaper decried the decision, describing it as “another step in Netanyahu’s journey to dismantle Israeli democracy.”
