Media News - Tuesday, November 27, 2007

A new era for Israeli newspapers

On Sunday the Israeli ministerial committee on legislative matters approved the draft of a new press law. The new law eliminates a number of anachronistic clauses, including the requirement that newspaper owners be over a certain age and hold a matriculation certificate. But it also stipulates new requirements that newspaper proprietors may not be too eager to comply with. If the Knesset passes the law in its current form, publishers will - among other things - be required to disclose in their newspapers detailed listings of their holdings in other corporations. The new law, which was submitted by Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit, entirely supersedes the ‘antiquated’ legal framework that currently regulates media activity: the Press Order of 1933 and Defense Regulations 94-96 from 1945. That is why the requirement to receive an Interior Ministry license to publish a newspaper will be canceled, on the grounds that ‘the principle of freedom of speech calls for the elimination of the licensing requirement.’ The new law stipulates that every newspaper will be required to appoint an ombudsman, who will have to publish an annual report. The demand that both editor and publisher not have a criminal record remains in place. The law also states that if a newspaper's editor or publisher is convicted of a crime while serving in his post, the editor will cease to serve in that capacity within 30 days of being convicted and the publisher, within 60 days. (Haaretz)

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