US businessman Sheldon Adelson yesterday paid a lightning visit to the i24news international news channel studio in Jaffa. Adelson, who owns the "Israel Hayom" daily newspaper, was accompanied on his visit by his wife, Dr. Miriam Adelson, and others. i24news rejected allegations that the purpose of the visit was business, saying that the reason for Adelson's visit was his interest in the channel's activity on behalf of Israel.
i24news, owned by Patrick Drahi, consists of three television channels broadcasting all over the world in three languages that present the news from an Israeli perspective. At the same time, broadcasts by the channels in Israel have not been approved by the regulators.
i24news CEO Frank Melloul has more than once expressed dismay on the subject, and even met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Communications Gilad Erdan, who expressed open support for the channel's broadcasts in Israel.
Speculations have more than once focused on the future media investments of Adelson, who is close to Netanyahu. Even though he owns one of the two most widely distributed newspapers in Israel, the hypothesis that he also wants to own a television station is not unfounded.
The i24news international news channel said, "i24news is generating a great deal of interest on both the international and local level. From the day it was founded, hundreds of senior figures, including presidents, ministers, diplomats, and communications leaders, have toured the channel's studios. Like many of his predecessors, businessman Sheldon Adelson also wanted to visit the channel's studios in Jaffa. Adelson toured the studios and praised the part of i24news in the international public opinion war."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 24, 2014
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