Kan Corporation files petition with Supreme Court against media law amendment

The Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan) filed a petition with the Supreme Court on Sunday, demanding the cancellation of an indirect amendment to the Communications Law. The amendment mandates a 25 million shekel annual cut to the corporation's budget, which is earmarked for creation, culture, and Israeli content. In the 43-page petition, the corporation warns that the government's move constitutes a "political pressure lever" and a punitive sanction against news content that does not align with the government's views.

According to the petition, the budget cut was originally conceived as part of a plan to close the "Idan Plus" system, which was intended to save 25 million shekels. However, just before the vote in the Knesset, following a coalition crisis with ultra-Orthodox factions regarding the operation of an alternative application on the Sabbath, it was decided to keep the "Idan Plus" system active. Consequently, the savings that justified the cut disappeared, yet the reduction in the corporation's budget remained in the law and was approved within hours, without professional staff review.

The corporation highlights warnings from professional officials during legislative discussions: the Ministry of Finance representative cautioned that it is impossible to assess the damage to the corporation's stability, while the Ministry of Justice representative warned of harm to freedom of expression. Furthermore, the petition cites statements by Minister of Communications Shlomo Karhi, who openly admitted from the Knesset podium that the cut is intended to harm the "news and current affairs" of a body he claims broadcasts "propaganda at our expense."

In the petition, filed through the "Meitar" law firm, it is argued that turning the budget into a "political whip" creates a chilling effect on journalists and creators, undermining the independence of public broadcasting. On behalf of the corporation, it was stated:

"The public broadcasting budget is not a tool for punishment and is not a lever for political intervention in journalistic content. The petition is intended to protect not only the corporation's budget, but the right of the public in Israel to public broadcasting that is independent and free from political pressure."