Channel 12 Dominates Election Night Ratings Amidst Declining Viewership Trends

Channel 12 emerged as the clear leader in Israeli election night viewership, according to data released by the Israeli Ratings Committee. The network's coverage of the election polls garnered a significant 28.5% of viewers, peaking at 30.6% during the reveal of the main poll, which was presented by Mano Geva.

Channel 14 secured second place with 15.2% during its broadcast, reaching a high of 17% at the moment of the poll reveal, presented by Shlomo Philber. A close competition for third place ensued between Channel 13, which recorded 7.1% overall and 8.1% at the poll reveal, and the Public Broadcasting Corporation's Kan channel, which achieved 6.5% overall and also peaked at 8.1% during the poll reveal. i24NEWS lagged behind with 1.9% and 2.1% respectively.

These figures come amidst a challenging media landscape characterized by a continued shift of viewers to social media and an overall decline in traditional television viewership. The election night broadcast saw significant investments in large studios, field operations, augmented reality technology, and numerous talents across multiple channels, including Kesh 12, Reshet 13, Channel 14, Kan, i24NEWS, and Channel 16.

While election poll broadcasts traditionally represent peak television events, recent election cycles have shown fluctuating public interest. In the 2022 elections, Kesh 12 led with 23.4%, followed by Reshet 13 (11.5%), Channel 14 (6.2%), and Kan (4.4%). Historical data from earlier elections in 2019 and 2020 indicates a gradual decline in combined viewership for channels 11, 12, and 13 among Jewish households during the initial 20 minutes of poll broadcasts, dropping from over 50% in April 2019 to around 45-47% in subsequent elections. Viewership among non-Jewish households also saw a downward trend after a peak in September 2019.

Kesh 12 consistently led election broadcast ratings in previous election cycles, while Reshet 13 held the second position. The Public Broadcasting Corporation's Kan channel generally recorded lower ratings in past elections.