The Israel Broadcasting Authority’s Management Committee has extended the grace period for the administration and union workers to reach an agreement on cost-cutting efficiency measures, but made it clear that for as long as there is public broadcasting, foreign language programmes will remain on the air.
Only a few short weeks ago, all foreign language broadcasts with the exception of Arabic, which is Israel’s second official language, were under threat of closure. Hundreds of readers signed an online Jerusalem Post petition against taking the English news on TV and radio off the air.
However, of all the cost-saving suggestions that have come to the fore, the IBA Management Committee came to the conclusion that it was completely unacceptable to close broadcasts on which large numbers of the immigrant population, not to mention diplomats and overseas listeners, rely.
(Source: R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)
Only a few short weeks ago, all foreign language broadcasts with the exception of Arabic, which is Israel’s second official language, were under threat of closure. Hundreds of readers signed an online Jerusalem Post petition against taking the English news on TV and radio off the air.
However, of all the cost-saving suggestions that have come to the fore, the IBA Management Committee came to the conclusion that it was completely unacceptable to close broadcasts on which large numbers of the immigrant population, not to mention diplomats and overseas listeners, rely.
(Source: R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)