Israeli News Show 'From the Other Side' Questioned for Format and Impact
Translated & summarized from Srugim by baba
Guy Zohar's show "From the Other Side" on Kan 11 presents a factual, often humorous, look at news events, aiming to reveal one-sided reporting. Despite its low production cost, the show has been moved to a late-night slot and faces questions about its format and reliance on viewer submissions. The article suggests shorter, social media-focused clips might have a greater impact than the current full program.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Guy Zohar's "From the Other Side" on Kan 11 aims to expose one-sided news reporting.
- The show relies heavily on viewer-submitted material to fuel its content.
- Its broadcast time was moved to a late-night slot, reducing potential viewership.
- The program's format is compared to "The Daily Show" but with a simpler execution.
- The article questions the show's format, suggesting social media clips could be more impactful.
The Israeli public broadcaster Kan 11's program "From the Other Side" (Me'hatz Ha'Tzadi), hosted by Guy Zohar, is characterized by its factual basis and its call for viewers to report fake news. The show aims to expose one-sided reporting by presenting the "other side" of news events, often using humor and cynicism. Unlike more expensive productions, "From the Other Side" is relatively inexpensive to produce, featuring a single host presenting archival clips and offering commentary.
A central criticism of the show is its reliance on viewer-submitted material, which can sometimes fuel public discourse uncontrollably. This issue echoes past concerns raised by Minister Miri Regev about the public broadcaster's lack of control. While Zohar previously reached a compromise with Kan 11 regarding production, the show has been relegated to a late-night slot, diminishing its potential audience engagement.
The program's recent episodes have covered topics such as the US and Israeli elections and commentary on figures like Shimon Riklin. A segment on Israel Railways was criticized for deviating from economic analysis to a personal perspective. The show's style is compared to "The Daily Show" in the US, though its execution on Israeli television is described as resembling older community television formats.
The article questions the justification for producing an entire show in the style of a "more headlines" segment, as seen on "Eretz Nehederet," but without the satirical characters. It suggests that while a show like "From the Other Side" is important for Israeli media, its impact might be greater if disseminated as short, focused clips on social media, potentially elevating Zohar to a more prominent media figure.