Channel 13 News Appoints New CEO From Rival Network

Itay Dancner has been appointed the new CEO of Channel 13 News, following approval by the company's board of directors. He will succeed Tali Ben-Ovadia, who announced her intention to step down after the upcoming elections. Dancner, a journalist and content manager with extensive experience in television and news, has served as Vice President of Programming for Keshet 12 since early 2019. In that role, he was involved in shaping the channel's strategy and content, planning its broadcast schedule, and overseeing program production and airing. Previously, he spent six years as editor of "Ulpan Shishi" at Channel 12 and as business development manager for the news company. Dancner stated he accepts the position with great responsibility, praising Channel 13 News as an excellent organization with highly capable journalists, and expressed enthusiasm for joining their journey. He emphasized the importance of a strong, independent news company for a democratic society and thanked the board for their trust. Acting CEO Idan Elrom thanked the outgoing CEO Tali Ben-Ovadia for her dedicated work and stated that Dancner's significant journalistic and managerial experience is crucial for the company during this challenging period. Elrom added that Dancner, along with recently appointed Deputy CEO of Content Yarden Bitran, will focus on building a winning organization.