EBU urges Israel to keep public broadcaster budget out of government control
07 November 2024
To protect the value of independent public media, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) calls for an end to efforts in Israel to bring the budget of the public broadcaster KAN under direct government control.
“We are deeply concerned about the proposed legislation from the Israeli government that would allow them to change or cancel items in the public broadcaster’s budget, putting at risk the editorial and financial independence of public media,” said Noel Curran, Director General of the EBU.
“This development could be interpreted as an attempt by the Israeli government to exert greater direct control over KAN.”
KAN, an independent television and radio network run by the Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation, is now funded via a licence fee charged by the Transportation Ministry and other sources, including advertising and licensing of archives.
Israel’s public service broadcaster has been a member of the EBU, the world’s leading alliance of public service media, since 1957.
KAN has criticized the move, saying its current budgetary structure is designed “to prevent any political intervention in its content” and that the proposed change “is another attempt to harm the independence and significance” of the Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation.
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