Elections Committee Rejects Bid to Ban Channel 14 Broadcasts
Translated & summarized from Srugim by baba
The Central Elections Committee, led by Justice Noam Sohlberg, dismissed a petition to ban Channel 14's election-related broadcasts. The committee cited alternative remedies and procedural issues for the dismissal. A separate petition alleging a lack of ideological diversity on the channel remains pending, with Channel 14 ordered to respond by Friday.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Justice Noam Sohlberg dismissed a petition against Channel 14's election broadcasts.
- The petition sought to ban current affairs programs featuring specific party candidates.
- The committee cited alternative remedies with the Second Authority for Television and Radio.
- Procedural issues, including claims not previously raised, also led to dismissal.
- A separate petition alleging lack of ideological diversity is still under review.
- Channel 14 must respond to the diversity petition by Friday.
The Central Elections Committee, headed by Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, has dismissed a petition seeking to prohibit Channel 14 from broadcasting current affairs and news programs featuring candidates from the Likud, Religious Zionism, and Otzma Yehudit parties until the elections. The petition also alternatively requested that the channel be barred from conducting election propaganda for these parties.
Channel 14 was accused of acting as a propaganda channel, particularly for the Likud. The petitioners cited a section of the Election Law that prohibits election propaganda on television and radio within 60 days of an election, excluding official campaign broadcasts.
Justice Sohlberg ruled that the petitioners have an alternative remedy through the Second Authority for Television and Radio, which possesses expertise in such matters. He also noted that some claims regarding violations within the 60-day period were not raised in the channel's prior communication before the petition was filed. Consequently, the petition was dismissed without a substantive hearing.
In a separate, more focused petition, it was alleged that Channel 14 exclusively features candidates from a specific political bloc, violating the principle of ideological diversity. The Chairman of the Central Elections Committee has ordered Channel 14 to respond to this petition by Friday, and a final decision has not yet been made.
Mentioned
The same event, reported separately by each outlet. Open a few to compare what different newsrooms emphasize — and what they leave out.
Right 4Haredi 1
Not the same event — other stories that share this one’s people, places, or theme: background, reactions, and follow-ups.
