Actually its about ethics in israeli public broadcasting
0 replies, posted
[URL]http://www.dw.com/en/israeli-prime-minister-netanyahu-to-amend-public-broadcast-handcuff-law/a-18693589[/URL]
Some explanation is in order:
A few days ago the Israeli government [URL="http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel/.premium-1.674334"]passed a law relating to the Public Broadcasting Authority[/URL] (roughly equivalent to the UK's BBC, only terrible), or more specifically a law about killing it with fire and then making a new one.
Among other things, it had some articles that had the local press' collective panties in a twist.
Specifically:
[QUOTE]However, very, very quietly the plenum also approved Eichler’s reservation requesting the enshrining in the law of the Broadcasting Authority’s ethical guidelines from 1972, known as the Nakdi document. This document forbids journalists to express their opinions on the air and the broadcasting of personal programs.
Under the new provision, “In Broadcasting Authority broadcasts [B]it is necessary to refrain from one-sidedness, prejudice, expression of a personal opinion, awarding marks and labeling, ignoring facts or presenting them selectively not in accordance with their news value[/B].” That is, every program in which there is an expression of opinion is prohibited from being broadcast in the new corporation that will replace the Broadcasting Authority.
[/QUOTE]
To be fair, the government wanted this because it's a tool that allows them to block any news or opinions on news that are not in line with those of the Broadcasting Authority's management, which is of course appointed by the government and very friendly to it. Which is why the press called it "the gag law".
Even though the government managed to pass the law, the outcry over the "ethical guidelines" provision had Netanyahu do his usual 180 and declare he'll amend the provision:
[QUOTE]By Friday, Netanyahu's office announced that he planned to amend the clause, saying that "journalistic ethics should not be set down in legislation."[/QUOTE]
One of Netanyahu's favorite lapdogs and current Minister of Science and Media (and Space, I think), who was to receive the reigns of the new and ethical Broadcasting Authority then resigned in protest.
That was after he gave this quote, though:
[QUOTE]Science Minister Ofir Akunis, who is in charge of the general reform in public broadcasting, defended the clause as a means to ensure balance. But he did acknowledge in a Facebook post that "the clause might not have been formulated in a sufficiently clear manner".
"News should be presented with facts," he wrote. "Personal programs, in which the opinions of the presenters are known, are and will continue to be broadcast."
[/QUOTE]
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.