https://arab.news/but7u
- Yulia Shamalov-Berkovich’s appointment seen as move to increase right-wing influence at network
- Decision to remove her taken after pressure from staff, rumors of boycott
LONDON: Israel’s Channel 13 has fired its CEO Yulia Shamalov-Berkovich in response to an internal backlash, just weeks after her appointment.
The company said the decision was made as part of an agreement between management and journalists and that the chairman would step in as interim CEO until a replacement was found.
Shamalov-Berkovich, a close ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was appointed in June. Her selection sparked intense criticism from the network’s employees, who viewed it as attempt to consolidate right-wing influence over the media.
In July, Haaretz newspaper published a leaked conversation in which Shamalov-Berkovich disparaged Channel 13 journalists, calling them “bad” after a recent expose on Transportation Minister Miri Regev.
The announcement of her dismissal follows a pressure campaign led by prominent journalists, including economics commentator Matan Hodorov, who said they “were left with no choice but to start a legal and public fight, with the aim of maintaining the stability and independence of the system.”
Rumors of an internal boycott had also been circulating, with staff reportedly ignoring her directives and responding to emails with automated replies.
No speculation has been made about a possible successor, but Channel 13, along with the News Workers Committee and the Journalists’ Organization, has committed to finding a replacement within two months.
“We would not have reached these agreements without the determined stand of the employees who waged an uncompromising struggle for the company’s future image,” said Eli Gershankrein, CEO of the Journalists’ Organization.
The agreement “will allow the selection of a worthy CEO for the news company, someone who will work together with its dedicated employees to position it as a model of serious and responsible journalism,” he said.