Israel: The Importance of Alternative Media as a Media Accountability Instrument

In Israel, there are no effective media accountability instruments. Media ownership patterns and a complex regulatory system put the media at the mercy of politicians and tycoons who own the main print and broadcast channels. The lust for media control by the longest-serving Prime Minister, Benyamin Netanyahu, led to political turmoil and drastically affected journalists’ freedom of expression. Independent online journalists carry the torch of media accountability in what is viewed as an alternative media. The lack of strong financial backing leads to their minimal impact. The Israel Press Council (IPC) is a voluntary body that is financially supported by private media owners and is expected to monitor the journalistic ethics of their supporters. The IPC has no enforcement powers and plays a very minor role as a media accountability instrument. The Israeli courts are the preferred arena for ethical disputes but are often used by politicians to threaten journalists in a phenomenon known as media freezing effect.