Channel 14 Ratings Fall Short of Politicians' Claims
Prominent Israeli politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and Communications Minister Shlomo Karai, have repeatedly asserted that Channel 14 boasts "very high" or even "the highest" ratings. However, data from the Israeli Ratings Committee and other analyses reveal a different picture. While Channel 14's average ratings did surge significantly between 2022 and 2023, reaching a peak of 7.2% in November 2023, they have since stabilized between 5% and 6.5% without substantial growth, even during the ongoing war.
In terms of advertising revenue, a key indicator of commercial value, Channel 14 captures only 6.4% of the market share among commercial channels, significantly trailing Channel 12's 72.8% and Channel 13's 20.8%. This disparity is further highlighted by sponsorship minutes sold in 2024, where Channel 14 sold only 87 minutes compared to Channel 12's 1,290 minutes. Despite this, government advertising expenditure in Channel 14 has seen a dramatic increase of 368% from 2022 to 2025, reaching NIS 7.1 million, while spending on Channel 12 decreased by 45% during the same period.
Analysis of programming reveals that Channel 14's viewership is heavily concentrated in its news and current affairs programs, with "The Patriots" and the main news broadcast being the only shows consistently measured. In contrast, Channel 12 features multiple programs, including reality shows and satire, that achieve ratings above 11%. A significant portion of the public, 36%, expresses complete distrust in Channel 14, a higher percentage than any other channel, indicating a polarized reception.
While 58% of government coalition voters prefer Channel 14's news broadcast, only 2.5% of opposition voters do. Conversely, 62% of opposition voters prefer Channel 12's news, compared to 16% of coalition voters. This stark division suggests that Channel 14 primarily serves a specific political segment, with minimal viewership from the opposition, creating an information bubble for its core audience.
