New Israeli Channel 16 Launches With Political Reporter Shlomi Gil Joining Team

Channel 16, a new Israeli TV channel owned by Ashdod real estate entrepreneur Yitzhak (Itzik) Hadad, officially launched on Sunday with a festive ceremony and its first main news broadcast. The ribbon-cutting was conducted by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi alongside media figure Ram Landes, who is responsible for establishing the channel. The inaugural news edition was presented by veteran anchor Yaakov Eilon, known for opening news broadcasts on Channel 2 and Channel 10.

Channel 16 declares a clear editorial stance, emphasizing no political agenda, neither right nor left. Ram Landes stated, "We are launching a new channel characterized by having no political agenda, and its news broadcast will strictly separate information from commentary and opinions." A notable addition to the channel’s reporting team is Shlomi Gil, a Haredi journalist and political correspondent for the newspaper Mishpacha, who joined as the channel’s political reporter. Gil announced his new role on X, expressing gratitude to Mishpacha for years of collaboration and eagerness to cover political stories on Channel 16.

Behind the scenes, experienced television professionals led by Ram Landes, who helped establish Channel 2 news, founded and managed Channel 10 news, and chaired the committee that drafted the public broadcasting law for "Kan," are driving the channel’s development. Channel 16’s programming will be diverse, including news, current affairs, studio shows, culture, entertainment, reality TV, original productions, and documentaries.

During a 21-day soft launch phase leading up to official trial broadcasts starting July 19, the channel will operate a unique AI-based technological model called SAY16. This system allows viewers to actively participate in shaping the channel’s content by providing ongoing feedback that influences programming types, genres, schedule structure, content style, graphics, and overall viewing experience.