Israele, in forse la pubblicità sull'emittente di Tzahal

In una situazione internazionale complessa per Israele dopo il discorso di Obama sulla pace in Medio Oriente, il gabinetto dei ministri israeliani doveva prendere una decisione su una questione marginale ma molto importante per "Galaz", il nomignolo della stazione radiofonica dell'esercito Galei Tzahal. Secondo Haaretz in gioco c'è l'autorizzazione alla messa in onda di spot pubblicitari sulle frequenze della stazione radio, che è molto popolare. Qualche anno fa le emittenti commerciali private, preoccupate di questa concorrenza, avevano sollevato la questione presso l'autorità garante israeliana. Quest'ultima, pur respingendo la richiesta di vietare la pubblicità ha chiesto al Parlamento di legiferare in materia, cosa che la Knesset non ha fatto del tutto. E' stato invece decretato un memorandum che di anno in anno autorizza alla messa in onda di annunci, anche se limitati a imprese e iniziative no profit. Secondo il quotidiano anche così Galaz ricava il 45% del suo budget dalla pubblicità. Ci sono però alcuni dubbi sulle possibilità di rinnovo del decreto temporaneo e alcuni esponenti dell'emittente si sono detti allarmati sulle possibile conseguenze. Sto cercando di capire che cosa sia emerso dalla discussione tra i ministri ma Haaretz non ha ancora pubblicato un follow up.

Lo scorso ottobre Galaz, che oggi trasmette due diversi programmi, Galaz (ripreso anche in onde corte e ricevibile qui su 6973 e 15850 kHz) e Galgalaz (musicale in FM), ha celebrato il suo 60esimo (comunicato dell'esercito) anniversario. Ecco un bell'articolo apparso sul Jerusalem Post.

Army Radio may close if not allowed to air commercials

By Gili Izikovich and Jonathan Lis

The cabinet is to decide today whether to support a bill that would allow Army Radio to continue broadcasting commercials in order to help fund its operations.

Commercials and public service announcements bring in some NIS 17 million a year, which is 45 percent of Army Radio's budget.

The station has been broadcasting commercials for some 20 years. However, in 2005, local radio stations, which compete with Army Radio for the same advertisers, petitioned the High Court to disallow commercials on the army station. The High Court rejected the petition, but at the same time recommended that the matter be legislated.

Until an early version of a bill, called a memorandum, could be formulated, a temporary order was put into effect by which Army Radio could broadcast no more than four and a half minutes of advertising and public service announcements for soldiers and reservists announcing sales and special deals, but it could not advertise the quality of the product or service or compare them to others. As a result, most of the bodies advertising on Army Radio are non-profit groups.

The temporary order, which was extended several times in recent years, expired yesterday. It was to have been replaced by a law identical to the order. A memorandum was placed before the Ministerial Committee on Legislation a few months ago, but it was voted down by a majority of 10 ministers against two - Dan Meridor and Yaakov Neeman. Defense Minister Ehud Barak submitted an objection to the rejection of the memorandum, which the cabinet is to discuss today at its weekly meeting.

Officials at Army Radio told Haaretz that the rejection of the memorandum and a continued prohibition on advertising on the station would effectively mean the station would have to close.

A number of senior employees including presenters and journalists have spoken to various ministers to gain their support for the bill. "There are forces, political but also economic, that are trying to let Army Radio waste away," journalist and presenter Razi Barkai told Haaretz. "I've given what I could to prevent these efforts and I hope we'll succeed."

"I personally have not approached anyone or met with anyone," presenter Ilana Dayan said, adding that it would be a terrible mistake not to allow the station to continue broadcasting commercials as it had before the temporary order expired.