Channel 13 News CEO Criticizes Correspondent's Judgment
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Channel 13 News CEO Tali Ben-Ovdaya criticized correspondent Suleiman Maswadeh's judgment after he stayed with a senior lobbyist in Washington for two weeks. The network conducted an inquiry and determined it was a one-time lapse, though the seriousness of the ethical breach was emphasized. Maswadeh, who covers the U.S. for the network, will return to air soon. The new owner, Assaf Rappaport, recruited him.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Channel 13 CEO Tali Ben-Ovdaya criticized correspondent Suleiman Maswadeh's judgment for staying with a lobbyist.
- The two-week stay raised ethical concerns about journalistic distance and conflicts of interest.
- An internal inquiry deemed Maswadeh's actions a "one-time lapse" in judgment.
- Maswadeh, Channel 13's U.S. correspondent, will return to broadcasting soon.
- New owner Assaf Rappaport recruited Maswadeh to the network.
Tali Ben-Ovdaya, CEO of Channel 13 News, has sent a sharp letter to staff addressing findings from a Haaretz newspaper investigation. The investigation revealed that Suleiman Maswadeh, the network's correspondent in the United States, stayed for two weeks last month at the home of a senior American lobbyist, Jay Pritzker. This stay raised ethical questions regarding journalistic distance and potential conflicts of interest in the sensitive relationship between senior reporters and their sources in Washington.
Following the report, Channel 13 management decided to conduct an immediate and thorough factual inquiry with Maswadeh. Ben-Ovdaya stated in a message to employees, as reported by TheMarker, that "Suleiman made a significant error in judgment, and he is aware of it. However, as our investigation revealed, this was a one-time lapse." While no extended suspension will be imposed and Maswadeh is expected to return to the evening broadcast on Monday, the network views the incident with great seriousness.
Ben-Ovdaya clarified that Maswadeh was informed of his serious mistake and the boundaries expected in relationships with sources. She emphasized the importance of consulting with superiors when in doubt, stating, "When there is doubt, there is no doubt." Maswadeh, considered a prominent young journalist in Israel, previously worked at the public broadcaster Kan, where he covered Jerusalem and the Arab world. He was recruited to Channel 13 by its new owner, Assaf Rappaport, to serve as its U.S. correspondent, covering the White House, U.S.-Israel relations, and international diplomacy.
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