Channel 10 franchise holder Israel 10 is promoting the extension of its franchise. Israel 10 heads and Minister of Communications Dalia Itzik met today to discuss a four-year extension.
Those present at the meeting included Israel 10 CEO Nir Lempert and Israel 10 news general manager Ram Landes. Before the meeting, Ministry of Communications director general Avi Balashnikov held a meeting with all the affected parties, except for the Channel 2 franchise holders.
Representatives of the Ministry of Finance Budget Department, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Communications, the Antitrust Authority, and Second Broadcasting Authority director-general Mordechai (Motti) Sklar and chairman Menhashe Smira took part in the meetng with Balashnikov. Balashnikov asked them to check whether Israel 10 was meeting its obligations under its franchise.
Balashnikov told "Globes" today that the purpose of the discussion was to hear from all the relevant parties, in order to ensure that the Ministry of Communications would take a professional position on the issue, and make a professional recommendation to the minister.
After three years of activity, Channel 10 is changing its name to Israel 10, the name of the company holding the franchise for the channel. The re-branding and new name of the channel will be presented to the television audience at the beginning of March.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on February 22, 2005