Amit Segal: Channel 14 Aims to Correct Past Media Wrongs
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Political commentator Amit Segal stated that Channel 14 is working to correct past media biases, comparing the situation to his past warnings about a tilt in coverage at Army Radio. Segal's comments came amid controversy over leaked communications between him and an advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Journalist Raviv Drucker criticized Segal's defense of his close ties with political sources, refuting Segal's claims that such practices are common or ethical.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Amit Segal believes Channel 14 is correcting past media wrongs, comparing it to a "1,000 km/h" correction.
- Segal previously warned Army Radio to fix its "25-degree tilt" or face an "aggressive" correction.
- The commentary follows a leak of communications between Segal and PM Netanyahu's advisor Yonatan Urikh.
- Journalist Raviv Drucker disputed Segal's defense of close ties with political sources.
- Drucker argued that no reputable journalist engages in the practices Segal described.
Political commentator Amit Segal, known for his role on Channel 12's "Meet the Press," discussed the role of Channel 14 in the Israeli media landscape. Segal suggested that Channel 14 is attempting to rectify historical biases in Israeli journalism, comparing the situation to his past warnings to his superiors at Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) about needing to address a "25-degree tilt" in their coverage. He argued that if such corrections are not made proactively, the eventual adjustment will be "very aggressive."
Segal referenced the changes at Galei Tzahal, including the addition of Yaakov Bardugo to its roster of commentators and hosts. Bardugo, who previously worked at the station as a political commentator and current affairs host, left in February 2022. Segal noted Bardugo's impact, stating that he transformed the program "Five" into a highly popular and, in Segal's words, "controversial" show, implying that controversy is often perceived as one-sided.
He further elaborated on Channel 14's mission, stating that it "tries to correct wrongs that were done at 1,000 km/h." This statement came in the context of a recent leak of communications from Yonatan Urikh, an advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which raised ethical questions about Segal's relationships with political sources. Urikh's advisor role and the communications leak have been a subject of significant public and media attention.
Journalist Raviv Drucker, a critic of the Prime Minister, addressed the leak on his program "Choice Zone" on Channel 13. Drucker presented what he described as Segal's defense for his close ties with Urikh, outlining three points: "One: Everyone does it, Two: It's a delicate tango that helps me get scoops, Three: If you keep talking about it, you'll go to jail." Drucker refuted these claims, stating that no reputable journalist engages in such practices and that in his 33-year career, he has never approached the level of interaction Segal described. He also acknowledged that such relationships can yield exclusive information, drawing a parallel to Mohamed Heikal, Nasser's court reporter.
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