The government-proposed Amendment No. 7 of the Digital Channels Law (hereinafter: “the government bill”), submitted for public comment on 3 July 2024, seeks to carry out a major reform of the Idan Plus digital terrestrial television platform. The reform consists of transferring Idan Plus under the Kan Public Broadcasting Corporation (KPBC), exempting channels from distribution fees retroactive to 6 October 2023, shutting down two multiplexes to bring about its termination, and replacing it with an app-based broadcasting platform.

The intention to transfer Idan Plus to the KPBC, shut down multiplexes, and switch to app-based broadcasts is positive and welcome as it may potentially lead to more efficiency, public benefit, and savings. At the same time, in its current formulation, the government bill contains unlawful provisions granting broadcasters a retroactive exemption from distribution fees and their rollover to the KPBC. This is an economic benefit whose real intention – providing benefits to Channel 14 – can be ascertained from the history of the government bill. There is no justification for granting such a major and far-reaching governmental benefit to private commercial entities and tycoons at the expense of the public treasury.

Furthermore, the government bill does not include a detailed and appropriate mechanism to ensure the accessibility of the app-based broadcasts to the entire population, in particular to senior citizens. In this respect, by failing to address the entirety of the public’s needs, the government bill harms the right of Israelis to full unmediated access to broadcast content.