Israel media guide

Israel's daily Yedioth Ahronoth, the country's leading daily newspaper, shows a headline from an interview by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson reading in Hebrew: "I am passionate defender of Israel that's why I oppose the annexation", in Jerusalem on July 1, 2020.Getty Images

Israel's press and broadcasters are many and varied, reflecting differences in language, political viewpoint and religious outlook.

TV is the leading medium and commercial networks top the ratings. Public broadcasting saw a major change in 2017, when the Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA) ended more than 50 years of operations and was replaced by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC).

The IPBC was intended to be more efficient, employing fewer staff than the IBA and outsourcing production.

Israel has two free-to-air national commercial networks, Keshet 12 and Reshet 13. Most households subscribe to cable or satellite. Yes satellite TV and the HOT cable network are the main providers.

Radio is an important news source. The sector comprises public stations run by the IPBC, two networks run by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), and more than a dozen commercial outlets.

The press scene is very competitive, although there is an ongoing decline in print readership as online media take an increasingly large share of the market. Yisrael Hayom, a freesheet, and Yediot Aharonot are the top print dailies.

The Israeli media enjoy real freedom, but Palestinian journalists experience major difficulties in exercising their profession, says media watchdog Reporters Without Border.

Under Israel's military censorship, reporting on a variety of security issues requires prior approval by the authorities.

Freedom House says the media "are vibrant and free to criticise government policy". But it says diversity and editorial independence have been threatened by "financial difficulties in the industry".

Israel has a large IT industry and one of the world's most technologically-literate populations.

There were 7.9 million internet users by July 2022, comprising 90%t of the population (Internetworldstats.com). Facebook is the top social media platform. Ynet is the leading Hebrew-language news site.

Press

Television

Radio

  • Kan - public, networks include main Hebrew station Kan Bet and Arabic-language Kan Mikan

  • Galei Zahal - Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Radio, broadcasts news and music to a mostly-civilian audience; also operates music and traffic news network Galgalatz

Related topics