Country Israel Owner Cabinet of Israel | Official website www.iba.org.il Founded 1948 | |
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Type Broadcast radio and television Availability National; international Launch date 1948; 69 years ago (1948) (radio)
1968; 49 years ago (1968) (television) Former names Israel Broadcasting Service
(1951–1965) Replaced by Israeli Broadcasting Corporation | ||
Israel Broadcasting Authority (often referred to as the IBA; Hebrew: רָשׁוּת השׁידוּר, Rashùt Ha-Shidúr literally: The Broadcast Authority) is Israel's state broadcasting network. It grew out of the radio station Kol Yisrael (Voice of Israel, not to be confused with the private internet radio station of this same name which operated between 2014-2015), which made its first broadcast as an independent station on March 14, 1948 (1948-03-14). The name of the organisation operating Kol Yisrael was changed to Israel Broadcasting Service in 1951. The law creating the Israel Broadcasting Authority was passed by the Knesset on 6 June 1965. Television broadcasts commenced on 2 May 1968, with color television following on 23 February 1983, although occasional color transmissions were made earlier, such as the Eurovision Song Contest 1979 and the visit of the Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in 1977. IBA is supposed to be replaced by the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation on October 1, 2016, however Benjamin Netanyahu has recently stated that the launch and replacement is to be postponed to the beginning of 2018, for which he got criticism from journalists and politicians across Israel. However, after some political pressure it may be delayed only for six months to April 30, 2017.
Contents
Overview
It operates two television channels and eight radio stations. IBA's television stations are officially free of advertising, but programs are often "sponsored" by commercial entities. Full advertising on the radio is allowed, however.
In 1990, the Israeli parliament passed a law which resulted in the creation of the Second Israeli Broadcasting Authority, whose function was to enable and regulate commercial television and private radio broadcasts in Israel. Until the establishment of the Second Broadcasting Authority and the widespread availability of cable television and satellite pay TV services in Israel (which also produce their own programming directed at the local market in the early 1990s (cable) and 2001 (satellite DTH service), IBA maintained a virtual monopoly on television and radio broadcasting and production in Israel. There were a few exceptions, such as the morning and afternoon broadcasts delivered through IBA's television channel, which were produced by Israel Educational Television, the popular Israel Defense Forces Radio service, and a private radio station (the Voice of Peace) which operated offshore, outside Israeli territorial waters.
Israel Broadcasting Authority domestic programming and broadcasts were funded by levying television licence fees upon the owners of television sets until the end of 2015. The TV license fee was the primary source of revenue for the TV services of Israel Broadcasting Authority; however, its radio stations carry full advertising and its TV programes sometime receive "sponsorship" from commercial entities to supplement this income. Also all car owners in Israel pay a radio levy through their annual car ownership license. IBA broadcasting is covered by the code of ethics set out in the Nakdi Report.
The IBA (IBS at the time) was admitted as a full active member of the European Broadcasting Union in 1957. The decision made by the EBU General Assembly had the immediate effect that two founding broadcasters (the Egyptian and Syrian broadcasting services) quit as active members.
The IBA provides news programming in 14 foreign languages directed at audiences abroad or in Israel through its IBA News programming available on the internet and through rebroadcasters. IBA does not use short wave for its radio overseas transmissions since the mid 2000s.
In 2014, the Israeli cabinet approved reforms that will see the IBA closed and a new public broadcasting body take its place. The replacement network will create three separate television channels: a Hebrew, Arabic, and children's channel. As part of the reforms, the television tax levied on all Israelis who own a television to support the IBA has been abolished by March 2015 . Eventually the reform did not advance as originally planned and the target date has been extended to 2018). Eight new national radio stations will be created in place of the existing Kol Israel radio network.
TV channels
Radio stations
Kol Yisrael ("The Voice of Israel") is the collective name for IBA's radio networks, as well as for the international service.