Israeli Election Campaign Faces Dangerously Uneven Playing Field
Translated & summarized from Cursorinfo by baba
Israeli election campaign experts warn of a dangerous imbalance due to strict regulations on traditional media versus largely unregulated digital platforms. Viewership of traditional campaign ads has plummeted from over 50% in the 1970s to a projected 5% in the current election, while social media's influence grows. A 2014 proposal to allow paid prime-time advertising was rejected, potentially hindering smaller parties. Experts believe political inertia and vested interests in the current system prevent necessary reforms.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israeli election campaign experts warn of a dangerous imbalance favoring digital over traditional media.
- Traditional media campaign ad viewership has dropped from over 50% to a projected 5%.
- Social media and digital platforms face significantly fewer regulations than traditional media.
- A 2014 proposal to allow paid prime-time political advertising was rejected by the government.
- Experts cite political inertia and vested interests as reasons for resisting reform.
Experts are warning of a dangerous imbalance in Israel's election campaigning, citing strict legal limitations on traditional media that are increasingly out of step with digital technology. According to "Maariv," the current rules for campaign dissemination are failing to reach voters as effectively as they once did. While television ads once captured national attention, their viewership has plummeted. In contrast, advertising on social media and other online platforms faces far fewer restrictions.
Dr. Baruch Leshem, a media and politics specialist, noted that in the 1970s and 1980s, election broadcasts were watched by 50% to 80% of viewers. By the 2020 elections, this figure had dropped to about 8%, and projections for the current campaign suggest it could fall to 5%. Leshem attributes this decline not only to the rise of social media but also to the proliferation of television channels, which have fragmented the audience. Consequently, commercial channels often air campaign ads late at night when viewership is minimal.
Leshem also recalled that in 2014, former Israeli President Reuven Rivlin initiated a commission led by former Supreme Court President Dorit Beineish. The commission proposed allowing parties to purchase prime-time advertising slots, similar to a US model, but the government did not support this initiative. The current system allocates airtime based on party size, with larger parties receiving more time. A move to paid prime-time advertising could offer smaller and newer political forces greater exposure.
Tehila Shwartz Altshuler, head of the "Democracy in the Information Age" program at the Israel Democracy Institute, highlights another aspect of the problem. She points out that audiences, especially young people, increasingly get their news from social media, Telegram, and other digital channels, bypassing traditional television news. While traditional media operate under strict legal constraints, the internet remains significantly less regulated. Altshuler deems this situation dangerous, particularly in the sensitive pre-election period when digital platforms become crucial tools for political campaigning.
Strategic consultant and former campaign manager for Naftali Bennett, Barak Hershkowitz, also expresses skepticism about the effectiveness of TV campaigning. He considered abandoning video production altogether for the 2021 elections, viewing it as largely futile and a drain on team resources. Hershkowitz argues that in the past, political ads were potent due to limited channels and the absence of the internet. Today, he believes candidate speeches, interviews, document releases, and direct citizen engagement have a greater impact. He cited Benjamin Netanyahu's 2015 iPhone video announcing Arabs were voting in large numbers as an example of an unpolished, last-minute recording proving more effective than professionally produced materials.
Hershkowitz attributes the Israeli political system's reluctance to change established rules to political inertia. He suggests that both the coalition and the opposition benefit from the current party financing model and are unwilling to relinquish their advantages.
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