May 15, 1996 PRESS R E L E A S E
ISRAEL MEDIA WATCH TO COURT:
PROHIBIT BROADCASTING CANDIDATES
30 DAYS BEFORE ELECTIONS
Claiming
that a recent amendment reducing to a 21-day period the
prohibition on broadcasting appearances of candidates for
election was illegally adopted, Israel's Media Watch petitioned
the country's High Court of Justice to disallow the amendment and
reinstate the original 30-day period blank-out.
Represented by attorney Tzipi Livni, Israel's Media Watch (IMW) asks that the court strike down the law. IMW Chairman Professor Eli Pollak stated that "the law negates the demand of equality. It should have been passed, in all stages of its legislation, by a special majority of at least 61 Members of Knesset".
Israel's Media Watch, a media watch-dog group, reviews the objectivity of the media and its commitment to the principles of journalistic ethics. Its research reports, conducted for more than a year, indicate that the party in power receives between 65%-70% of air time in news and discussion programs. The religious and Arab lists, the smaller and the new parties receive very little coverage. This is gross imbalance during elections.
Furthermore, the interviewers are not impartial. It has been found that the broadcast employees cannot guarantee the proper modicum of neutrality. The viewer will be unsure as to when news is being presented and when prohibited electioneering is being broadcast. Certain politicians will gain an advantage.
It has been proven also that the Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA) has very little control over its employees as regards fulfillment of broadcasting guidelines and the demands of its own code of ethics. The IBA is not open to public critique, ignores complaints and produces no report on infractions of principles of fairness and discipline
Israel's Media Watch is a non-partisan advocacy group concerned with the ethical and professional standards of the media in Israel.
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