Israel's Media Watch
update report # 31

February 23, 2000

- IMW has registered a new domain name www.imw.org.il
- Israel Broadcasting Authority
- Palestinian Authority environmental expert refused to share a podium with Israeli
- Arutz 7 Law
- Golan Settlers Council: CNN could sway referendum results
- Media steering public opinion towards Lebanon withdrawal
- STOPPING UP THE LEAKS
- Israel TV's romantic priest not funny, church says
- Islamic Association For Palestine
- Palestinian and Israeli intelligence cooperate to silence journalist
- FRAME GAME The Invisible Man  by William Saletan
- The Left, this intellectual minority has a tremendous influence on the media...
- "Why Americans Hate The Media"

IMW News

1.  IMW has registered a new domain name which will bring you to the same
website but with a name that is more identifiable.  Please note:
http://www.imw.org.il

2. Following the release of the Finance Ministry report this week on
deviations in public sector salaries, Arutz-7's Ariel Kahane reports on
similarly high salaries in another public body which went unreported:  The
Israel Broadcasting Authority.  A list of the top 50 IBA gross salaries in
1999 includes the following: Supervisor of Maintenance - 38,000 shekels a
month; News Director - almost 35,000; Supervisor of Electronic Maintenance
- 37,000;  Deputy Head of the Video Department - 36,000; a commentator -
35,000.  The salary of the 50th-highest earner in the IBA is 28,000 shekels
per month. 

Gil Samsonov, Chairman of the Board of the Israel Broadcasting Authority,
responded, "This situation, where public sector employees are paid such
high salaries from the public coffers, is simply not logical.  This is
chaos!"   The Board decided to cut salaries to no more than 19,000 shekels
- although Yisrael Medad, of Israel Media Watch, is not optimistic about an
actual implementation of the decision.  He told Arutz-7 today,  "All
previous decisions regarding efficiency and cost-cutting programs in the
IBA were never implemented, and I fear that it will be the same this time."
 What concerns Medad more, however, is the fact that the IBA salary
deviations were not even reported on the public media. "The news department
talked about the salaries of all the other sectors, but not its own!
Similarly, when the budget of the IBA wasn't approved by the Finance
Ministry - the IBA did not report on it.  This is intolerable - the public
authority exists not to serve those who work there, but to serve the
public!" 
(reported on Arutz-7 News: Thursday, February 24, 2000)

3. Following a report that a Palestinian Authority environmental expert
refused to share a podium last night with his Israeli counterpart, simply because
the latter is a resident of Shomron, IMW complained to the Ombudsman of the
Second Radio & Television Authority (SRATA), Yoel Rekem. 
The events developed as follows:  A segment of a television
series, "Point of Meeting", dealing with Jewish-Arab relations in Israel was
being filmed in Tel-Ad studios last night, and two experts on environmental issues
were scheduled to appear: Dr. Zhad Ish'chak and Director of the Shomron Cities
Association, Yitzchak Meir.  When the former saw his counterpart, he tore
off his microphone and announced that he refused to sit next to Meir.  The
producers spent 15 fruitless minutes attempting to convince Ish'chak to
change his mind, and then decided to try another tack: They asked Meir to
leave.  Meir protested, and refused to do so.  In the end, the program was
filmed without either of the two experts.

IMW has learned that the production company, TTV, which is responsible for
the show, receives funds from the Peres Center for Peace.  IMW spoke with
Tzafrir Kochanovsky who declined to comment when asked to confirm the
suspicions.  SRATA is prohibited from broadcasting party political propaganda
and IMW is investigating whether these funds would cause the program to be
prohibited from being transmitted.  If not, IMW would campaign to allow other
similar public interest bodies to air their programs.
Rekem responded by asking that Meir complain directly, intimating that
he would not take a complaint from IMW on this particular issue.  IMW has had
trouble previously in making complaints since the SRATA position is that IMW
has no standing on matters when persons are involved.  In fact, the News Company
of SRATA refused for over two years to reply to our complaints claiming IMW
was not a recognized legal entity.

4.   IMW has been invited to two Knesset committee meetings this coming week:
the first is at the Education Committee to discuss the operations of the IBA and
the second, the reauthorization of the IBA budget for 2000 at the Finance
Committee.

Media News

1. ARUTZ-7 LAW
Arutz Sheva News Service  Monday, February 21, 2000
Further deliberations on the petition against the Arutz-7 law will take
place this Wednesday in the Supreme Court.  State Prosecution
representatives will inform the judges that the proposal for three
special-interest radio stations was defeated in yesterday's ministerial
meeting - a development which effectively removes the option of overruling
the Arutz-7 law through alternate legislation.  In addition, given Knesset
legal advisor Tzvi Inbar's claim that the Arutz-7 law was passed according
to protocol, it is felt that the Court is unlikely to honor the petition
against the law in question.

2. Golan Settlers Council: CNN could sway referendum results
By Catherine Cohen
Ha'Aretz, FebruaRY 18, 2000

Foreign media are the latest target in a new offensive designed to promote
the case against withdrawal from the Golan Heights. The National Council
for the Golan believes that overseas coverage of opposition to a withdrawal
could have a major impact on domestic opinion through foreign media outlets
like cable television. This is part of the thinking behind the council's
recent decision to set up a public relations department aimed at persuading
the Israeli public to vote against leaving the Golan in a national
referendum. In addition to targeting the Hebrew press, the organization is
also concentrating efforts on the foreign press.

Last week, the national council teamed up with the Golan Settlements
Council to host some 20 foreign journalists on a trip to the area. With
participants from Denmark, France, Norway, Britain, the United States, the
Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland, this was the first event that paired
up members of the foreign press with opponents of withdrawal such as former
defense minister Moshe Arens and Major General (Res.) Meir Dagan.

"Foreign coverage influences Israeli public opinion via media like cable
TV. If people tune into CNN and see American leaders giving their opinion,
it has an impact. It is important that opponents to the withdrawal are
heard too," said trip coordinator, British-born Jonathan Spyer.

Spyer, a former news editor and press coordinator at the Government Press
Office, who now works in the foreign press department at the National
Council for the Golan, says that their efforts with overseas journalists
are designed to parallel contacts with the local press. "The most important
foreign journalists in Israel are the ones from the U.S.," he said. "Europe
is important too, but the American press is crucial because of the leading
role the U.S. is playing in the peace negotiations and because their tax
payers are being asked to foot the bill."

Despite competing with other big news stories last week - including IDF and
Hezbollah clashes in south Lebanon and Palestinian protests at Abu Dis -
the Golan still piqued the curiosity of people in Europe.

Sylvia Wania, correspondent for Russia and the Middle East at the Hamburg
Adenblatt newspaper, traveled to Israel for the week to cover the Golan
Heights story. "The German people are very interested in what goes on in
the Middle East," Wania told Anglo File. "The paper decided to run a story
about Golan residents so they sent me. If I am not sent to cover the news
here, we take the story from the wires. There is always some sort of
coverage."

According to Asgeir Ueland, freelance writer for the Stavanger Aftenblad
newspaper in southwest Norway, Norwegians want to know about Israel.
"Norway is interested in what's happening here," he said. "The paper has
been covering the story since the peace talks began.

3. PROFESSOR WOLFSFELD: 
MEDIA STEERING PUBLIC OPINION TOWARDS LEBANON WITHDRAWAL
The Israeli media are creating a public atmosphere demanding a speedy
withdrawal of troops from Lebanon, according to Prof. Gadi Wolfsfeld of the
Department of Political Science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.  An
expert on the role of the media and wars, Wolfsfeld says that since the
elections last year, when Ehud Barak promised to withdraw from Lebanon, the
media have adopted his stand - "and have served to further and to
strengthen the idea among the public that there is no alternative other
than to withdraw from Lebanon."

According to Prof. Wolfsfeld, who released a statement on the topic, the
media is looking for stories which complement the line they have taken,
emphasizing the tragedy of Lebanon.  Examples he cites include interviews
with bereaved mothers and visual emphasis on the bloody costs of the
conflict.  An extensive platform is given to politicians vehemently
favoring withdrawal from Lebanon, he notes.  As opposed to this, he states,
the media do not show soldiers who are proud to defend the communities of
the north, who wish to stay in Lebanon and who are positive about combating
the Hizbullah.

Wolfsfeld, contacted by IMW, admitted that he was expressing an impression
rather than basing himself on statistical data collected over the recent
months.
Nevertheless, he was convinced that the media trend was a biased one in that
ethical and professional standards were not being observed.  The media have
adopted
Ehud Barak's stand and through their news reports serve to strengthen the idea
that there is not alternative to withdrawal.

4. STOPPING UP THE LEAKS
Arutz 7 News, February 23, 2000

Israel's security establishment has begun an investigation to determine
who, early this week, leaked to Army Radio the document regarding the
government's plans to uproot some 21 Yesha settlements as part of a
final-status deal with the Palestinians.  On Monday, Deputy Defense
Minister Ephraim Sneh vehemently denied the existence of both the document
in question and the Barak government's intention to uproot settlements.

5. Note:  The comedien in the story below is Eli Yatzpan.  He also did
an extremely satirical piece on Netanyahu just prior to the elections.
In any case, now others know the level of Israeli TV humor.

Israel TV's romantic priest not funny, church says

JERUSALEM, Feb 17 (Reuters) - A romantic "priest" hugging a shapely "nun"
on Israeli television has led to a holy row with the Roman Catholic church.

The Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem said on Thursday it had demanded a
public apology from the producers of a "candid camera" TV programme for
an irreverent segment filmed in Italy and broadcast this week.
A hidden camera filmed a popular Israeli comedian, dressed as a priest,
cavorting in a public plaza with a "nun" as he asked passersby what
he should do to win her heart. The "priest" also made the sign of the cross
and slapped people on the forehead as he "blessed" them in the square.

"This offended thousands of Christians and even non-Christians in the
Holy Land and many are continuing to contact us to express their rage",
said Wadie Abu Nasser, an adviser to the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem,
Michel Sabbah.
"We are asking for an apology. If our demand is not met, we will begin
legal action," he said.
Spokesmen for the Reshet network which broadcast the programme on
Channel Two commercial television were not immediately available for comment.
Abu Nasser said Reshet officials promised to respond to his complaint on
Sunday.
© Reuters Limited.

Media News Abroad

1. Islamic Association For Palestine

IAP Feb 19/00 - Yesterday we commented on the striking teachers in the
West Bank and Gaza who were protesting their low salaries and
deteriorating working conditions in the classrooms. We have
just received the disturbing news that the PA has closed down a Hebron TV
station for a week for airing interviews with the striking teachers. The
PA used the excuse that the TV station was guilty of "incitement" and
"endangering Palestinian national interests." A spokesman for the PA
police is reported of have accused the small television station of
"crossing the read lines in this delicate phase of our struggle when our
leadership is mobilizing international support for our cause."

The Islamic Association For Palestine looks upon this recent event with
grave concern and once again condemns the PA for its actions. It seems
that the PA is more interested in preserving its "international image"
than in the educational needs of our children. The PA even had the
audacity to accuse the teachers of "tampering with the fate of our
children and people" when it is in fact they who are the ones who are
guilty of this.

2. Palestinian and Israeli intelligence cooperate to silence journalist
Press release, Jerusalem, February 21, 2000

The Palestinian journalist Khaled Amayreh has been summoned by both the
Palestinian Authority General and the Israeli District Coordination
Office (DCO). Amayreh was questioned on the content of the Hebron Times,
a newly launched weekly newspaper where Amayreh is Editor-in-Chief. He
received threats of closure of the paper if he did not write favourable
articles about President Arafat.

On February 11, Palestinian Authority (PA) General Intelligence officers
summoned Amayreh to a "meeting" where he was questioned on an editorial
he wrote on the Palestinian refugees' right to return, arguing that no
body has the right to give up on that right because it is "personal in
nature, absolute and inalienable".

Amayreh was accused of doubting the PA's commitment to the refugees'
cause and inciting the refugees against the leadership. The PA General
Intelligence officers gave Amayreh the message that the PA Press Law of
1995 was not applicable in his case, as "the intelligence has its own
laws". One officer threatened to close the newspaper, and said: "I'll
burn it down if you continue to criticise the government".

On February 15, Amayreh was summoned by an Israeli District Coordination
Office official, and questioned on the same issue. The official argued
that Amayreh's editorials instigated the PA to take tougher stance on
the refugees' issue. Amayreh was again warned, as he was by the PA
Intelligence, against incitement. The Israeli interrogator "reminded"
him that Israel was still in control all over the area.

The day after, Amayreh was again summoned to the PA General
Intelligence, in order to brief them on what the Israelis wanted. He was
asked to publish material favourable to president Arafat in his
newspaper. They were claiming that the paper in its current form was
unacceptable, warning again that they would close the paper.

The PHRMG strongly reject any threats made against Palestinian
independent journalists and editors by the Palestinian Authority or the
Israeli authority in order to stiffle their voices. We find the actions
taken against Khaled Amayreh and Hebron Times as severely aggravating.
PHRMG further protest strongly against all collaboration between
Palestinian and Israeli officials to stiffle all independent news
reporting in the Palestinian Autonomous Areas. We fully support Khaled
Amayreh in his decision not to be intimidated by these efforts, and his
work for more press freedom.

3. FRAME GAME The Invisible Man  by William Saletan Feb. 16, 2000
(Note:  we bring below an excerpt from an article by William Saletan
dealing with an issue that IMW has dealt with here in Israel during the
last election campaign.  IMW fought to have Benny Begin and Azmi Bashara
appear on a discussion program, "Hot Mish'al", which was promoted as
"the debate" between the prime ministerial candidates.  Mr. Saletan's remarks
are quite relevant.

If you watched last night's Republican presidential debate in South
Carolina-and you weren't already a committed supporter of George W. Bush
or John McCain-you'd be hard pressed not to conclude that Alan Keyes won
it. If, however, you missed the debate and read about it in this morning's
newspapers, you'd hardly know Keyes was there.
Ignoring single-digit candidates is standard practice in political
journalism, but the coverage of last night's debate provides a
particularly egregious illustration of how this practice makes a mockery
of democracy...
And what does Keyes get for this dominant performance? "Bush and McCain
Collide Over Negative References," says the New York Times headline. Keyes
finally appears in the fifth paragraph-as a prop. ("With only Alan Keyes
sitting between them ...") The Los Angeles Times ignores him until the
seventh paragraph, which merely reports, "Former ambassador Alan Keyes,
who also participated in the debate, lags in the low single digits." In
the Washington Post ("Bush and McCain Clash"), Keyes doesn't appear until
the sixth paragraph. He is briefly acknowledged as "the most voluble of
the three candidates. But the focus was on Bush and McCain."

Why is the focus on Bush and McCain? Not because they won the debate on
style or on substance. Indeed, not because of anything that happened in
the debate. The focus is on them because it was on them before the debate
began. In short, the focus was rigged. And who controls the focus? The
same people who pass off "the focus" as an objective force that dictates
which candidates make the headlines and which don't. The media.

Yes, Keyes trails badly in the polls. Yes, he has no money.
Yes, many of his ideas are unconventional, to put it mildly.
But on the merits and on television, it's hard to imagine how any
candidate could have beaten his competitors more soundly than Keyes did
last night. In so doing, he removed any excuse reporters could have come
up with for ignoring him. Unless, of course, they had already made up
their minds.

 Words of Wisdom

1.   "...In the leftist wing of what is called the Left, a group, not
that large, developed which is very aggressive and very influential on
the media, of deconstructionism and anti-Zionism...
this intellectual minority has a tremendous influence on the media...
its decontructionism exerts a certain tone on the media and
it drips through...in the conditions of a rating culture and
one of commercialization, one cannot maintain cultured debates
and it even reaches the type of claims that we shouldn't argue with
the Right or discuss issues with religious people".

Professor Gabriel Moked, "Makor Rishon" weekly, January 28, 2000
in an interview with Amnon Lord

2. Excerpt from "Why Americans Hate The Media" by James Fallows
Published in February 1996 Atlantic Monthly
Read it at http://www.theatlantic.com/atlantic/issues/96feb/media/media.htm

"Yet the fact that no one takes the shows seriously is precisely what's
wrong with them, because they jeopardize the credibility of everything
that journalists do. "I think one of the really destructive developments
in Washington in the last fifteen years has been the rise in these reporter
talk shows,"Tom Brokaw has said. "Reporters used to cover policy--
not spend all of their time yelling at each other and making philistine
judgments about what happened the week before. It's not enlightening.
It makes me cringe."

When talk shows go on the road for performances in which hostility
and disagreement are staged for entertainment value; when reporters
pick up thousands of dollars appearing before interest groups and
sharing tidbits of what they have heard; when all the participants then
dash off for the next plane, caring about none of it except the money--
when these things happen, they send a message. The message is:
We don't respect what we're doing. Why should anyone else? "

Contribution.
If you think that IMW's work is important and helps maintain a democratic civil society in Israel and aids in providing a couter-balance to the pervasive and powerful influence of an unchecked media, you are invited to make a contribution. In Israel, our address is listed below.
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Israel's Media Watch is a non-partisan civic advocacy group - IMW is a registered non-profit organization whose major aim is assuring the ethical and fair conduct of the Israeli media. 

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