ISRAEL / i24News authorised to broadcast in Israel

On May 29th the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) approved a bill authorizing Patrick Drahi’s news channel to broadcast in Israel.

More specifically, an amendment has been made to existing broadcasting laws relating to international television channels working in Israel.

Until now the law has imposed restrictions on international news channels such as i24News transmitting from Israel. Although since its creation in 2013 its headquarters have been in Jaffa, i24News has been accessible in Israel only via the Internet, and not through traditional transmission.

However, as soon as it becomes law, the amendment will allow the Israeli Cable and Satellite Committee to issue the channel a broadcast license.

i24News does not produce content in Hebrew, only in English, French and Arabic. Nevertheless, a channel spokesperson said, there is “a significant and increasing demand to receive” i24News in Israel from “foreign residents, new immigrants, diplomats and businessmen”, as well as “Arabic-speakers living in Israel”.

The news channel, available in the United States since last February, claims it currently reaches a billion households in Europe, America, Africa and Asia.

Sources: communiqué, Satellifax, Times of Israel