Or Tzalkovik Returns as CEO of Radio 103FM
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Or Tzalkovik has returned as CEO of Radio 103FM, replacing Avi Cohen. Tzalkovik previously held the position from 2015 to 2023 and is credited with significant successes in building the station's programming and digital presence. Recent data shows 103FM's listenership at 8.4%, tied with Radio Eco 99FM, with a notable increase in digital content consumption. Tzalkovik faces the immediate challenge of resolving broadcast tensions between hosts Ben Caspit and Yinon Magal.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Or Tzalkovik returns as CEO of Radio 103FM, replacing Avi Cohen.
- Tzalkovik previously led 103FM from 2015-2023, achieving a record 13.1% listenership.
- Radio 103FM's listenership is 8.4% in early 2026, tied with Radio Eco 99FM.
- Digital content from 103FM, including a web series, has garnered 20 million social media views.
- Hosts Ben Caspit and Yinon Magal recently had a public dispute, threatening their future broadcasts.
Or Tzalkovik has been appointed as the new CEO of Radio 103FM, replacing Avi Cohen who held the position until now. Tzalkovik, who previously served as the chief editor of Walla, has a significant history with the station, having been its CEO and chief editor from 2015 to 2023. During his prior tenure, Tzalkovik is credited with building the station's broadcast schedule, including influential programs like "7-9 with Golan Yochpaz and Anat Davidov" and the "Ben Caspit and Yinon Magal" show. He also established the station's successful digital operations, during which time 103FM achieved a record 13.1% rating for a regional radio station, putting it on par with national stations.
In 2023, Itamar Drukman served as CEO, followed by Avi Cohen in September 2025. Now, after a year in the role, Eli Azar has brought Tzalkovik back to the station he knows well. This move follows Tzalkovik's two years as chief editor at Walla.
Recent TGI survey data for the first half of 2026 shows Radio 103FM with 8.4% listenership, tied with Radio Eco 99FM. While Eco 99FM saw a decline from 9% in the previous half, 103FM increased from 7.4%. Annually, Eco 99FM leads 103FM. Alongside increased radio listenership, 103FM has experienced a surge in digital content consumption. The station's web series, "HaMitchbaon," featuring Yinon Magal and Il Bar-Kovitz, garnered 20 million views across social media platforms, including 13.8 million on Facebook and Instagram, and over 6 million on TikTok.
The 103FM website and app recorded 34 million views in the first half of 2026 from 4.8 million users. The most viewed page on the site is the program page for Yinon Magal and Ben Caspit, with 1.4 million views in the past year. However, Tzalkovik faces the challenge of potentially reuniting Magal and Caspit, or finding a new duo, following a recent on-air altercation where Caspit ended the program after Magal spoke disrespectfully. Magal also expressed his own frustrations, suggesting they might be finished broadcasting together after seven years, with a potential end to their partnership after the upcoming elections.