Second Israeli Broadcasting Authority
Encyclopedia
The Second Authority for Television and Radio law was passed by the Knesset
in 1990. Its purpose was to establish a new governing-body whose purpose is to facilitate and regulate commercially-operated television
and radio
broadcasts in Israel
. The Second Authority for Television and Radio is led by a fifteen-member council that's entrusted with maintaining the public interest in commercial radio and television broadcasts that are delivered by licensed stations which are owned and operated by entities in the private sector. Until the establishment of the Second Authority most radio and television media in Israel were public broadcasting
services delivered under the auspices of the Israel Broadcasting Authority
(the IBA). This included the country's then-only television channel and several radio stations. Since their inception, the Second Authority's television and radio broadcasts have been operating alongside (and essentially in competition with) the broadcasts run by the IBA.
The Second Authority issues licenses for commercial television and regional radio stations by putting those services up for tender and selecting operators from the tender responders. The Authority set up the first commercial television station in Israel, Channel 2, in November 1993 after several years of test broadcasts. Three franchisees were selected to operate the channel in the initial tender, Keshet, Reshet
, and Telad
, each of which were reserved certain broadcast days during the week and collected ad-revenues for those days. Additionally, a fourth company was set up, the Israeli News Company
which is responsible for producing the daily news broadcasts shown on Channel 2. The channel has become a huge success and has provided a good return on investment to the three operators.
In 1995, the authority divided the country into regions and put up for tender licenses for 14 commercial regional radio stations. These are generally geographical in nature but in practice there is considerable overlap between the various regions. In 2002 the authority set up an additional commercial television station, Channel 10. However, this station was not as successful as Channel 2 and in 2004 the network's operators and license provisions were reorganized in order to revitalize the sagging station. In 2005, the original tender for Channel 2 expired and the network was re-bid and is now run by two operators instead of three.
Besides conducting tenders and selecting operators, the authority possesses various powers to regulate and supervise commercial broadcasts. As such it ensures that a certain percentage of the broadcast content is produced locally, handles citizen complaints, ensures that commercial advertisements are run within the allotted time and makes sure that the operators maintain a certain mix of program genres as stipulated in their licenses. About 2% of the broadcast time on the commercial channels is reserved for various public-interest programs which are produced by the authority itself.
The authority is also in charge of establishing and maintaining the nationwide DTT
(DVB-T
) infrastructure in Israel (also known as the "IDAN" project) which is utilized by both the Second Authority as well as the Israel Broadcasting Authority. In March 2011 analog television
broadcasts in Israel ceased and since then terrestrial television is only broadcast digitally over the IDAN network.
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
in 1990. Its purpose was to establish a new governing-body whose purpose is to facilitate and regulate commercially-operated television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
broadcasts in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. The Second Authority for Television and Radio is led by a fifteen-member council that's entrusted with maintaining the public interest in commercial radio and television broadcasts that are delivered by licensed stations which are owned and operated by entities in the private sector. Until the establishment of the Second Authority most radio and television media in Israel were public broadcasting
Public broadcasting
Public broadcasting includes radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing and commercial financing.Public broadcasting may be...
services delivered under the auspices of the Israel Broadcasting Authority
Israel Broadcasting Authority
Israel Broadcasting Authority is Israel's state broadcasting network.It grew out of the radio station Kol Yisrael, which made its first broadcast as an independent station on . The name of the organisation operating Kol Yisrael was changed to Israel Broadcasting Service in 1951...
(the IBA). This included the country's then-only television channel and several radio stations. Since their inception, the Second Authority's television and radio broadcasts have been operating alongside (and essentially in competition with) the broadcasts run by the IBA.
The Second Authority issues licenses for commercial television and regional radio stations by putting those services up for tender and selecting operators from the tender responders. The Authority set up the first commercial television station in Israel, Channel 2, in November 1993 after several years of test broadcasts. Three franchisees were selected to operate the channel in the initial tender, Keshet, Reshet
Reshet
thumb|right|"Reshet" logoReshet is one of the two concessionaires running the Israeli commercial television channel, Arutz 2 since 1993. Reshet is considered one of the most successful television networks in Israel....
, and Telad
Telad
Telad is an Israeli production company. The company is mostly known for being one of the three concessionaires whom ran the Israeli commercial television channel Channel 2 between the years 1993–2005.- History :...
, each of which were reserved certain broadcast days during the week and collected ad-revenues for those days. Additionally, a fourth company was set up, the Israeli News Company
Israeli News Company
Israeli News Company is an Israeli company producing the Prime time news program on the Israeli commercial Channel 2, and most of its current affairs and news programs and items for that commercial channel....
which is responsible for producing the daily news broadcasts shown on Channel 2. The channel has become a huge success and has provided a good return on investment to the three operators.
In 1995, the authority divided the country into regions and put up for tender licenses for 14 commercial regional radio stations. These are generally geographical in nature but in practice there is considerable overlap between the various regions. In 2002 the authority set up an additional commercial television station, Channel 10. However, this station was not as successful as Channel 2 and in 2004 the network's operators and license provisions were reorganized in order to revitalize the sagging station. In 2005, the original tender for Channel 2 expired and the network was re-bid and is now run by two operators instead of three.
Besides conducting tenders and selecting operators, the authority possesses various powers to regulate and supervise commercial broadcasts. As such it ensures that a certain percentage of the broadcast content is produced locally, handles citizen complaints, ensures that commercial advertisements are run within the allotted time and makes sure that the operators maintain a certain mix of program genres as stipulated in their licenses. About 2% of the broadcast time on the commercial channels is reserved for various public-interest programs which are produced by the authority itself.
The authority is also in charge of establishing and maintaining the nationwide DTT
Digital terrestrial television
Digital terrestrial television is the technological evolution of broadcast television and advance from analog television, which broadcasts land-based signals...
(DVB-T
DVB-T
DVB-T is an abbreviation for Digital Video Broadcasting — Terrestrial; it is the DVB European-based consortium standard for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial television that was first published in 1997 and first broadcast in the UK in 1998...
) infrastructure in Israel (also known as the "IDAN" project) which is utilized by both the Second Authority as well as the Israel Broadcasting Authority. In March 2011 analog television
Analog television
Analog television is the analog transmission that involves the broadcasting of encoded analog audio and analog video signal: one in which the message conveyed by the broadcast signal is a function of deliberate variations in the amplitude and/or frequency of the signal...
broadcasts in Israel ceased and since then terrestrial television is only broadcast digitally over the IDAN network.