How a political tug-of-war birthed Israel's modern national public broadcasting corporation
In short: Born from the collapse of the Israel Broadcasting Authority, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation faced years of legislative delays and intense political scrutiny. Today, it operates under the brands Kan and Makan, serving a diverse population through television, radio, and digital platforms while navigating the complex requirements of international broadcasting unions.
The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC) emerged as a replacement for the Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA), which had suffered from systemic issues including bloated staffing, rigid wage structures, and declining status. Following recommendations from the Landes Committee in 2014, the Knesset passed the Public Broadcasting Law in July 2014, mandating the closure of the IBA and the creation of a new entity. The transition was marked by significant friction between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, leading to multiple launch postponements until operations finally commenced on 15 May 2017.
The corporation's mandate is broad, requiring it to reflect Israel as a Jewish and democratic state while providing balanced, independent content to all citizens. It operates in multiple languages, including Hebrew and Arabic, and is governed by a 12-member public board appointed by the Minister of Communications. This board, which must include at least six women and one Arab member, oversees policy, budgets, and the appointment of the CEO. The news division, Kan News, has established itself as a major player in the Israeli media landscape, despite early political attempts to separate it from the main corporation.
International integration proved critical to the IPBC's development, particularly regarding its relationship with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). When Israel won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2018, the EBU warned that splitting the news department from the IPBC would violate membership rules requiring broadcasters to handle both news and entertainment. To protect its hosting rights for the 2019 contest in Tel Aviv, the government abandoned the split, and the EBU granted the corporation full membership in December 2018. Today, the IPBC distributes content across traditional DVB-T2 transmitters, satellite, and its own digital services, including the Kan Box VOD platform.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation
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