Channel 14 Demands Legal Overhaul of TV Ratings Body
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Channel 14 is demanding the Ratings Committee, which measures Israeli TV viewership, be reclassified as a non-profit, citing potential tax and legal issues. The committee rejected the claims, calling it a business venture approved by tax authorities. The channel, a recent full voting member, has had ongoing disputes with the committee, which alleges Channel 14 aims to disrupt its work. The committee is also expanding its measurement panel and seeking a new contractor for its surveys.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Channel 14 demands the TV Ratings Committee be legally reclassified as a non-profit organization.
- Channel 14 cites potential tax and legal exposure for committee members as justification.
- The Ratings Committee rejects Channel 14's claims, calling itself a business venture.
- Sources within the committee accuse Channel 14 of trying to disrupt its operations.
- The Ratings Committee will expand its panel from 700 to 800 households.
- A new contractor is being sought for the committee's establishment survey.
Channel 14 is escalating its battle for television ratings, demanding a change in the legal status of the Ratings Committee, the body responsible for measuring viewership in Israel. The channel, which recently gained full voting rights on the committee, is pushing for it to be classified as a non-profit organization. Channel 14's representative, attorney Yigal Danino, stated that the current structure could create tax and legal exposure issues for committee members, and the channel "will not lend a hand to a move that could mislead tax authorities or expose committee members to suspicion of tax offenses."
However, the Ratings Committee rejected these claims, asserting that it is a joint business venture designed to serve the interests of its participants and that its operational framework was approved by tax authorities upon its establishment. Tensions between Channel 14 and the committee are not new. Since becoming a full voting member in July, the channel has engaged in disputes, including demanding access to information about the composition of households participating in the ratings measurements, which the committee stated is confidential.
Sources within the Ratings Committee allege that Channel 14's actions are intended to disrupt its operations, with one industry insider describing the channel's conduct as a "Trojan horse" attempting to undermine the committee from within. Channel 14 maintains that its inquiries are purely professional and related to accounting and legal implications, not an attempt to harm the measurement system.
In parallel with this conflict, the Ratings Committee is preparing for significant changes to its viewership measurement system. The number of households in its panel will increase from 700 to 800, at an additional annual cost of approximately NIS 700,000. Channel 14 had advocated for a larger expansion to 1,300 households, but the committee opted for the smaller increase. This expansion, initially planned for January 2027, is now expected to conclude by March 2027.
Additionally, the committee is seeking a new contractor for its establishment survey, as the current contractor, Mano Giv'a, has ended his work with Channel 12 and plans to take a break from conducting political surveys for television channels.
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