As the new Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan) fights for its future, the corporation's council today notified Minister of Communications Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Finance Moshe Kahlon that it is ready to go on air. This announcement has been expected, following the amendment to the Public Broadcasting Law approved by the Knesset in August. The amendment states that the corporation will be able to start broadcasting as early as January 2017 and no later than April 30, 2017; the corporation immediately announced that they will go on air in January. For that end, the corporation's council was required to notify the minister of communications and minister of finance that they are ready by November 15. The ongoing struggle regarding the corporation's future has probably pushed the corporation into making this announcement even earlier than required.
Although the statement officially puts the ball in Netanyahu and Kahlon's court, it does not substantially change the corporation's status. First of all, as far as we know, Netanyahu politically opposes the launch of the corporation and has apparently making major efforts to prevent it from going on air, whether through MK David Bitan's private bill or using other political means. Political sources say that Kahlon, who was adamant to defend the corporation in the past, is now less determined, although his party officially claims that his position has not changed.
Furthermore, even without the obstacles put in Kan's way by the prime minister, it remains unclear how ready it is. As "Globes" has recently found out, the corporation has not yet filled a long line of senior positions and the condition of its television news division does not seem promising. As far as we know, senior positions not yet filled include main newscast anchors and editors, as well as senior desk heads. Moreover, it remains unclear what main prime time programs the corporation will have ready by 1 January.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 26, 2016
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