Channel 13 CEO Eases Layoff Fears, Says News Division Is Investing and Hiring

On Sunday, the CEO of Channel 13 News sent a detailed letter to all staff to address rumors of company-wide cuts and reassure employees worried about layoffs and efficiency measures. She said the recent gossip had created “uncertainty and a grim atmosphere,” and that she wanted to explain the channel’s near-term strategy “as directly, clearly and transparently as possible.”

Instead of retrenchment, she said the organization is heading into a period of development and major financial investment, especially ahead of the coming election campaign. According to the letter, the newsroom is planning a new, modern studio, developing an advanced app, and taking additional steps to strengthen its presence across platforms and maximize exposure.

She said the channel’s goal remains to produce the strongest journalistic results and stay “the leading, bold and relevant news system in Israel,” adding that new staff are being recruited to reinforce the newsroom for the election period and beyond. At the same time, she confirmed that some employees will leave as part of internal organizational changes and workforce adjustments.

However, she rejected talk of broad cuts. “This is not a wide ‘wave of dismissals’ and not a cuts process,” she wrote, calling it a process of refining the system and aligning it with editorial goals. She said departures would be handled only after careful consideration, consultation and discussions, with “full respect” for employees, and promised the process would be brief. She said performance feedback talks would be completed in the coming days, while hiring would continue in the coming weeks and months, and closed by saying her door is always open.