Faculty of Social Sciences
The Media in Israel
63-003-18
Dr. Yaron Katz
Office Hours:. Tuesday 17:30-18:00
Office: Building 109, room 5
Office phone: 03-7384560
Email: yaron@ykatz.com
Description of the course:
The media in Israel has experienced tremendous changes in the last two decades, mainly the
transformation from a traditional and monopolistic structure to an advanced and competitive
system. The communications revolution includes today a combination of old and new media, public
and commercial services, multi-channel and advanced outlets, including cable and satellite, Internet,
digital and cellular services. The course aims to provide understanding of the media in Israel,
including the press, radio and television as well as advanced services and the social, political and
commercial aspects of their development. The course presents important events that have shaped
the current structure of the media and analyzes future trends based on the policy changes planned in
the near future.
Grades:
Assignment – 20%
Students will prepare a research project on some aspect of the Israeli media according to the issues
discussed in class. The assignment needs to be between 5 to 10 pages and analyze a media outlet or
one of the fields of the media (such as: regulation, the press, radio, television, the Internet,
telephony, new media, alternative media or media coverage).
Final exam – 80%
Outline of the Course and Recommended readings:
Week 1: Introduction: The Structure of the Media
Gilboa, Eytan (2008). The Evolution of the Israeli Media, Middle East Review of International
Affairs, Vol. 12, No. 3
Ejournal (384257)
Week 2: Regulation and Media Policy
Katz, Yaron (2012), Media Policy in Israel: The New Structure of Public Broadcasting, Journalism
and Mass Communication, volume 2, number 5, pages 581-596
Available via Google scholar
https://air.unimi.it/retrieve/handle/2434/206859/238598/No.5%20Journalism%20and%20Mass%20
Communication.pdf#page=5
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Week 3: The Media and Social Influence
Kimberling, Baruch (2003), The Israeli State and Society, State University of New York Press
N/A
Goldscherder, Calvin (2002), Israel's Changing Society, Westview
E306 GOL i2 (517627)
Eisenberg, Z. Laura; Caplan, Neil; Sokoloff, B. Naomi; and Abu-Nimer, Mohamed (eds.) (2003),
Traditions and Transitions in Israel, State University of New York Press
E99 TRA 2003 (560195)
Week 4: The Print Media
Hillel Nossek, (2009). On the future of journalism as a professional practice and the case of
journalism in Israel, Journalis; 10; 358-361
Ejournal (1106357)
Tsfati, Y.; Meyers, O. & Peri, Y. (2006). What is good journalism? Comparing Israeli public and
journalists' perspectives. Journalism, 7 (2); 152-173
Ejournal (1106357)
Week 5: The Development of the Broadcast Media
Schejter, Amit (2003). From a Tool for National Cohesion to a Main station of National Conflict:
The Evolution of Cable Television in Israel, 1986-1998, Communication Law and Policy, Vol. 4,
No. 2, 177-193
Ejournal (1147905)
Soffer, oren (2008). The eraser and the anti-eraser: the battle over colour television in Israel, Media
Culture & Society 30; 759-776
Ejournal (125702)
Week 6: The Mixed Model of the Broadcast Media
Katz. Yaron (2009). Protecting Local Culture in a Global Environment: The Case of Israel's
Broadcast Media, International Journal of Communication, 3 pages 1-20
Ejournal (2385233)
Week 7: New Media
Avidar, R. (2011). "Israeli public relations and the Internet". Israel Affairs, 17(3( 401-421
Ejournal (268705)
Cohen, David, "Haredi and Religious News Sites", June 29, 2010, www.academics.co.il
Elias, N.; Lemish, D. & Khvorostianov, N. (2008). Reinventing Home Land Identities: The Internet
in the Lives of Immigrant Adolescents from the former Soviet Union in Israel. In T. Samuel-Azran
& D. Caspi (Eds.). New Media and Innovative Technologies (pp. 188-210). Beer-Sheva, IL: BenGurion University of the Negev.
303.4833 NEW 2008 (1171936)
Week 8: Alternative Media
Katz, Yaron (2007). The Other Media – Alternative Communications in Israel, International
Journal of Cultural Studies, August,, pages 383-400
Ejournal (1183131)
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Gilboa, E; and Katz, Y. (2001), The Media Campaign: The Shift to Alternative Media, in: Elazar
and Mollov (eds.) Israel at the Polls 1999, Frank Cass & Co., London and Portland, OR, pages
223-244
E324.6 ISR 2001 (2374491)
Week 9: Minorities and the Media
Avraham, E. (2003). Press, Politics and Coverage of Minorities in Divided Societies – The Case of
Arab Citizens in Israel. Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics, 8 (4)
Journal + Ejournal (325653)
Amal Jamal (2009). Media culture as counter-hegemonic strategy: the communicative action of the
Arab minority in Israel, Media Culture Society, 2009; 31; 559-577
Ejournal (125702)
Cohen, Y., Haredim and the Internet: A Hate-Love Affair, in: Bailey, M., and Redden, G. (2011),
Mediating Faiths: Religion and Socio-Cultural Changes on the Twenty-First Century, Ashgate
Publishing, pp. 63-74
Ebook (2407060)
Week 10: The Political System and the Media
Gideon Rahat and Tamir Shefer (2007), The Personalization(s) of politics: Israel, 1949-2003,
Political Communication 24, pages 65-80
Ejournal (131624)
Auerbach, Y. & Yehuda, T. (2010). The relationship between electoral systems and political
marketing: Israel 1988-2003, Israel Affairs, 3 335-364
Ejournal (268705)
Week 11: Censorship and Security Issues
Katz, Yaron (2006). The Impact of the Global Media on Israel's Intelligence Services,
International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence (19), pp. 316-334
Ejournal (151212)
Sucharov, Mira (2005). Security Ethics and the Modern Military: the Case of Israel Defense Forces,
Armed Forces & Society, Volume 31, Number 2, pages 169-199
Journal + Ejournal (131804)
Week 12: New Media and Military Conflicts
Salivetz, C., and Kalb, M. (2007), The Israeli—Hezbollah War of 2006: The Media as a Weapon in
Asymmetrical Conflict, The Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics; 12; 43-56
Ejournal (325653)
Zeevi, Irit (2009), 'Northern residents: Cellcom is with you': the rhetoric of Israeli advertising
during the Second Lebanon War, Media, War & Conflict; 2; 191-199
Ejournal (1215217)
Week 13: The Position of the Media in the Disengagement from the Gaza Strip
Tenenboim-Weinblatt, Keren (2008), "We will get through this together': journalism, trauma and
the Israeli disengagement from the Gaza Strip", Media Culture & Society; 30; 495-503
Ejournal (125702)
3
Beckerman, G. (2005), "Disengaged", Columbia Journalism Review: 44 (3(
Journal + Ejournal (141093)
Tsfati, Yariv; and Cohen, Jonathan (2005), Democratic Consequences of Hostile Media
Perceptions: The Case of Gaza Settlers, The Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics; 10;
28-40
Journal + Ejournal (325653)
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