Channel 13 News staff fear layoffs as CEO reassures workers

Employees at Channel 13’s news division are worried about possible layoffs after the station’s ownership changes and the arrival of businessman Asaf Rapaport, which are driving a broader restructuring at the channel and in the news unit. According to information received by the outlet, management is planning to hire new staff, strengthen departments, and add more journalists and content workers, even as some employees fear existing workers may be asked to leave.

At this stage, there is no known plan for mass layoffs and no announcement of a broad firing round. Still, several employees have recently been summoned to performance review and improvement meetings, and people familiar with the matter said those who receive professional criticism are being asked to improve in the near term, after which their continued employment will be reconsidered.

CEO Tali Ben Ovadia sent employees a message acknowledging rumors about cuts and trying to calm concerns. She wrote that the company is entering a period of renewal and investment in the channel and especially in the news company, noting major challenges ahead, especially preparations for the coming election campaign. She said the team is working on a new modern studio, a more advanced app, and additional steps to increase exposure across platforms.

Ben Ovadia said the goal is to become Israel’s leading, most relevant and strongest news operation, and that new hires are being brought in to support the election period and beyond. She stressed that any personnel changes are not a broad “wave of layoffs” or a cost-cutting drive, but a process of refining the organization to meet its journalistic goals. She added that the reviews will be completed in the coming days, while hiring will continue in the coming weeks and months.