From Market Leader to Financial Turmoil: The Turbulent History of Israel's Maariv Newspaper

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Founded in 1948 by journalists from Yediot Aharonot, Maariv dominated the Israeli media landscape for two decades. Yet, the publication has faced a volatile journey marked by frequent ownership changes, severe financial losses, and multiple court-ordered restructurings, eventually evolving into the brand managed by Eli Azur today.

Maariv, whose name translates to 'bringing on evening,' was established in 1948 by a group led by Dr. Ezriel Carlebach. For its first twenty years, it stood as the most widely read newspaper in Israel. However, the publication eventually faced significant financial instability, losing millions of NIS annually starting in 2004. This decline triggered a series of high-stakes ownership shifts, including investments from the Nimrodi family, Zaki Rakib, and Nochi Dankner, whose involvement in 2011 led to intense labor disputes over unpaid salaries and pensions.

The newspaper's struggle for survival necessitated drastic measures. In 2011, the company sold its printing equipment to cover payroll, and by 2013, it had offloaded its printing house to Yisrael Hayom to settle mounting debts. Following a period of court-appointed trusteeship, the brand was purchased in May 2014 by Eli Azur, a media mogul with holdings including The Jerusalem Post and Sport1. Under Azur, the paper was relaunched with a new structure, including the weekday Ma'ariv Hashavu'a and the weekend Ma'ariv SofHashavu'a.

Beyond its financial narrative, Maariv has navigated complex shifts in political identity. Once associated with a loyal right-wing readership, the paper was perceived to have pivoted leftward in the years preceding 2012. This shift occurred alongside a decline in market dominance. TGI survey data from July 2023 placed Maariv's weekday readership exposure at 3.9 percent, trailing behind competitors like Israel Hayom and Yedioth Ahronoth. Today, the publication continues to operate with a diverse range of supplements, including political analysis and cultural commentary, under the leadership of co-editors Doron Cohen and Golan Bar-Yosef.

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