Noble Energy claims that Channel 10 aired an investigation about the company in order to promote the business of Yosef (Yossi) Maiman. Maiman controls the channel. In a letter sent to Channel 10 News by Noble Energy's legal counsel, the company complains that at the end of the investigation broadcast on May 29 there was no due disclosure that Maiman competes with Noble Energy. His Merhav Group is a shareholder in EMG, which supplies gas to Israel. Noble, which is a partner of Yitzhak Tshuva in gas exploration off the coast of Israel, even claims that there was a guiding hand behind the program.
According to the investigation, which was broadcast on "Saturday News" with Oshrat Kotler, Noble Energy marked the green areas close to Dor Beach as its preferred site for constructing a gas terminal, and as it were guided the planning authorities to that site. The report highlighted the protest of residents living near the quiet beach against the facility, and presented illustrations of a situation in which a pipeline cut the beach in half. According to the report, Tshuva and Noble Energy pressed the authorities to construct the facility as soon as possible, and claimed that alternatives to the proposed facility were "inconvenient", as the program put it.
The letter describes many supposed inaccuracies in the report. It says that Noble Energy firmly rejects the allegations, and maintains that there will be no damage to the beach, and that other options are in fact under consideration.
Noble Energy demands a correction, and a clarification coordinated in advance. Channel 10 is expected to air another report on the subject. "My client has learned that another program on Channel 10 is supposed to address this question. You are warned not to repeat the false allegations," Noble Energy's legal counsel writes in the letter, adding "You clearly cannot claim the defense of good faith. If you decide to broadcast a report on the subject, you are required to disclose the personal benefits that may accrue to the owners of Channel 10 from delay to the project."
Channel 10 rejects the allegations outright. As evidence, they present a series of recent appearances by Yitzhak Tshuva. According to the news channel, Maiman is not involved at all in what goes on there, and for that reason there was no disclosure.
In January 2008, an incident was reported in which Maiman called Kotler at the end of a broadcast and expressed his displeasure one of the stories aired in it. It should be emphasized, however, that the conversation took place after the broadcast and not before it.
Tshuva's daughter, Gal Naor, recently became a shareholder in a rival channel. Naor acquired 20% of Keshet, the Channel 2 franchisee.
Channel 10 said: "Channel 10 is proud of the absolute journalistic independence enjoyed by Channel 10 News. As is well known, Channel 10's shareholders have no involvement in or prior information about the content on Channel 10 News. This separation has been recognized in the communications market since the founding of Channel 10 News."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on June 9, 2010
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2010