Tue Feb 18th, 2025

Communications Minister proposes law to close public broadcaster KAN

Photo: Caleb Oquendo/Pexels.Photo: Caleb Oquendo/Pexels.

On Sunday, Israel's Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi will introduce a groundbreaking bill aimed primarily at privatizing the Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation, known as KAN, in order to foster competition in the communications market and reduce spending, as KAN has a budget of NIS 800 million.

Together with Karhi's Likud colleague Tally Gotliv, they will present the outlines of an initiative that seeks to eliminate public funding from KAN, thereby transferring its operation to private hands within two years of its approval.

If the project is approved, KAN will have to submit an inventory of its assets to the Ministries of Communication and Finance and to the Second Authority for Television and Radio. The latter institution will be the one to tender the broadcasting rights for both television and radio. 

The only station that would continue to operate would be the Reshet Bet station, which focuses on news and current affairs, but under a new license that would allow it to include advertising and public service announcements.

Opponents of the bill say the move is intended to silence a critical and independent voice in the Israeli media landscape.

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