News 13 Chairman Eyal De Paz Resigns Amidst Regulatory Dispute

Eyal De Paz, Chairman of the Board of Directors for News 13, announced his resignation from his position and the board on Saturday. De Paz, who has held the chairmanship since early 2021, stated in his notice to the Second Authority's acting director-general that he was leaving after completing the company's stabilization efforts. He explained that he had waited for the approval of the ownership change and the arrival of the new CEO, emphasizing his commitment to the company's success during his tenure. He also noted that with only a few months left in his term, it was an opportune time to step down without disrupting ongoing operations.

However, behind the official announcement lies significant pressure from the Second Authority. Globes has learned of sharp exchanges between the authority and News 13, including De Paz himself, over exceptional payments he received from the company exceeding legal limits. Sources familiar with the matter indicate the Second Authority's criticism is particularly directed at Reshet 13 and News 13 for overpaying, despite existing regulations. The authority is reportedly considering demanding the return of these excess funds, reflecting the depth of the crisis.

The issues with the Second Authority began in early 2026 when stricter guidelines from the Second Authority Council, approved in late 2025, took effect. These regulations aimed to limit public director compensation and safeguard their independence. De Paz, classified as a public director, had previously served as acting CEO after Yulia Shamalov-Berkovich's dismissal until Tali Ben-Ovadia was appointed. At that time, allegations of high salary payments surfaced, with the "Tzlalach" association claiming he illegally earned approximately NIS 90,000 per month for several months.

The Second Authority's regulations, effective January 1, 2026, imposed several restrictions. The maximum annual compensation for a chairman of the board was capped, and compensation for public directors not serving as chairman was limited to a per-meeting fee. Furthermore, a chairman serving as acting CEO was limited to three months, with their salary capped at 70% of the average CEO salary over the preceding three years, subject to the authority's approval. Crucially, receiving additional salary as chairman concurrently with acting CEO duties was explicitly prohibited.

Despite these regulations, the Second Authority discovered that News 13 continued to make excess payments to De Paz into 2026. This issue extends beyond De Paz to Reshet 13 and News 13 for the overpayments. Market sources expressed concern that higher payments to public directors could create conflicts of interest. The regulatory entanglement reportedly led to direct pressure on De Paz, culminating in his resignation.

It was also reported that De Paz's compensation from News 13 was approved by the board in September 2025, prior to the new regulations taking effect. This approval allowed him to continue receiving a higher amount, estimated at NIS 3,000 more than the regulated amount, into 2026. Sources suggest that his compensation was approved for only one year from September, and the matter would have been addressed at the next board meeting had he not resigned. The higher payments reportedly continued until August of the previous year, a full year after the board's decision. De Paz's associates maintain he wished to leave earlier but waited for the change in company ownership and the new CEO's appointment. They assert that no one pressured him and that all payments were legally agreed upon, accusing others of attempting to tarnish his reputation after six years as chairman. News 13 did not provide a comment.