Picture format 16:9 (576i, SDTV) Broadcast area National Country Israel | Language Hebrew Headquarters Tel Aviv | |
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Launched 4 November 1993 (1993-11-04) Affiliates Keshet Media GroupReshetIsraeli News Company Owned by The Second Authority for Television and Radio TV shows HaAh HaGadol, Eretz Nehederet, The Voice Israel, HaMerotz LaMillion, MasterChef Israel | ||
Channel 2 (Hebrew: ערוץ שתיים - Arutz Shtaim), also called "The Second Channel" (הערוץ השני - HaArutz HaSheni) is an Israeli commercial television channel. Its production studios are located in Neve Ilan, near Jerusalem.
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History
In 1990, after 13 years of deliberations, the Knesset passed a law that paved the way for the establishment of commercial television in Israel. The goal was to enhance pluralism and create competition. Channel 2 began broadcasting on 4 November 1993. Three concessionaires were chosen: Keshet, Telad and Reshet. The concessionaires received a broadcasting contract for one decade and worked out a rotation agreement amongst themselves.
In 2005, the Ministry of Communications announced that two concessionaires would receive broadcasting contracts for the following decade. Of the four competitors (the fourth being Kan), Keshet and Reshet were chosen. Telad, which lost the bid, stopped broadcasting on Channel 2 in October 2005. Keshet and Reshet broadcast 3 or 4 days a week, rotating every two years. In 2011, Channel 2 installed a new digital system to preserve news content that was stored on aging videotapes and manage its archive library.
Broadcasters
The broadcasts of Channel 2 are controlled by the Second Authority for Television and Radio. The channel currently has two concessionaires: Keshet and Reshet. Other content providers for Channel 2 include the Israeli News Company and Israeli Educational Television. The latter has been broadcasting its programs on the channel in the afternoon since 1995.