Slippery Slope

Israel downgraded in the press freedom report from “free” in 2011 to “partly free” in 2012.

A survey conducted by The Second Authority for Television and Radio found that minorities are portrayed negatively on news broadcasts, entertainment shows, talk shows and reality shows on Israel’s commercial TV channels.

(Hebrew)

Journalist Shalom Yerushalmi claims that Minister of Education, Gideon Sa’ar (Likud), received a complete “defensive shield” from publication of uncomplimentary items about him from former Ma’ariv editor, Nir Hefetz.

(Hebrew Audio – Seder Yom)

The Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index ranked Israel 112 out of 179 countries, 20 spots lower than last year, due largely to Operation Pillar of Defense in November of 2012, when the Israel Defense Forces intentionally attacked journalists and buildings where media connected to Hamas had premises.

Channel 2′s political correspondent, Rina Matzliach, says she refrained from reporting on Eldad Yaniv and his Eretz Chadasha party in order to deny them public exposure before the elections.

(Hebrew – 103fm)

Chairman of the Central Election Committee, Justice Elyakim Rubinstein, informed media outlets who conduct polls of his intention to report to the Attorney General, Yehuda Weinstein, about media outlets who do not comply with the law and submit the full poll results, including the questions asked, to the Central Election Committee.  In his letter he reports that only two polls have been submitted, and only after the request of a certain political party.

(Hebrew – News1)

Following a meeting between Ynet’s political analyst, Attila Somfalvi, and Knesset candidate Eldad Yaniv (Eldad Yaniv), the site’s management decided to punish Somfalvi by not letting him publish any commentary columns during the next month, even though it is the height of election season.  As part of his political campaign, Yaniv has targeted Ynet and Yediot Aharonot owner Noni Mozes.

(Hebrew – The Marker)

In a post on his facebook page, Somfalvi has denied all of the above.

(Hebrew – Walla!)

A new reporter, Ze’ev Schneider, was recently appointed to the news division of the national radio broadcaster, Kol Yisrael, without being assigned a regular field of coverage.  Schneider has no prior experience in journalism, and did not pass a journalism course.  Schneider’s father is Nehemia Schneider, a Likud activist who serves as a paid advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

(Hebrew – The Marker)

The Chairman of the Israel Broadcast Authority, Amir Gilat, has proposed that all IBA plenum discussions will be confidential, that plenum members will receive meeting summaries of decisions instead of minutes of meetings, and that the authority to decide the plenum’s schedule will reside solely with the chairman.

(Hebrew – The Seventh Eye)

The “Kol Berama” radio station broadcasted the campaign opening ceremony of Shas party despite several warnings that the law forbids political propaganda to be broadcast before the elections.

(Hebrew)