The following texts appeared in Arutz 7 News Service, December 10 and 16, 1997 / Kislev 11 and 17, 5758. As a public service, we bring to your attention its content.

The battle between the Israel Broadcasting Authority and Arutz-7 continues on more than one front. Communications Ministry Director-General Danny Rosen accused the IBA yesterday of violating the law by broadcasting on unauthorized frequencies. He was referring to the fact that Reshet Gimmel broadcast over 105 FM for several days, very close to 105.2 FM over which Arutz-7 transmits. Rosen made the accusation before a Knesset Economics Committee session at which a proposal to close Arutz-7 was discussed. Rosen's criticism was not mentioned in the otherwise-extensive coverage given to the session by Voice of Israel radio.

RESHET GIMMEL STOP ILLEGAL BROADCASTS

Voice of Israel has ceased its Reshet Gimmel (Channel Three) broadcasts on frequency 105 FM, at the demand of the Communications Ministry. Listeners of Arutz-7 complained that the broadcasts on 105 FM - a frequency reserved for non-radio uses - caused disturbances to their reception of Arutz-7, which broadcasts on 105.2 FM. The Ministry in fact informed Voice of Israel that its broadcasts were illegal, and the broadcasts were stopped. It was suspected that Reshet Gimmel, which recently began broadcasting only Israeli music, wished to illegally compete with Arutz-7, which has always broadcast only Israeli and Jewish music.

Israel's Media Watch is a non-partisan advocacy group concerned with the ethical and professional standards of the media in Israel.