A revised look at online journalism in Israel: entrenching the old hegemony

 1. For a further revised look, see Dan Caspi, “Online Journalism in Israel: A Preliminary Typology,” in Online Newspapers in Israel, ed. Tehila Shwarz-Altshuler (Jerusalem and Beersheba: The Israel Democracy Institute and the Burda Center for Innovative Communications, 2007), 32–52. The final version of that article was submitted for publication by January 2011.

Abstract

The flourishing online press in Israel and its implications for Israeli society are assessed according to a four-stage media development model (penetration, institutionalization, self-defence and adaptation). During the first decade of the current millennium, the online press became entrenched, shifting from the penetration stage to the institutionalization stage. Since then, the printed press has been showing signs of adaptation to the new online press. It seems that the powerful media conglomerates have again succeeded in intensifying their hold on the new platform, leaving us with a new journalism but the old hegemony.

Keywords:

• online journalism
• Internet
• Israeli press
• mass media
• media development model

Notes

 1. For a further revised look, see Dan Caspi, “Online Journalism in Israel: A Preliminary Typology,” in Online Newspapers in Israel, ed. Tehila Shwarz-Altshuler (Jerusalem and Beersheba: The Israel Democracy Institute and the Burda Center for Innovative Communications, 2007), 32–52. The final version of that article was submitted for publication by January 2011.

 2. Dan Caspi, Mass Communication (Tel Aviv: Open University of Israel, 1993) [Hebrew].

 3. See also Sam Lehman-Wilzig and Nava Cohen-Avigdor, “The Natural Life Cycle of New Media Evolution: Inter-Media Struggle for Survival in the Internet Age,” New Media and Society 6, no. 6 (2004): 707–30.

 4. Henry Jenkins, Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide (New York and London: New York University Press, 2006).

 5. Sam Lehman-Wilzig, “The End of the Traditional Printed Newspaper: Factors of Online Journalism that Threaten Traditional Printed Press,” in Online Newspapers in Israel, ed. Tehila Shwarz-Altshuler (Jerusalem and Beersheba: The Israel Democracy Institute and the Burda Center for Innovative Communications, 2007), 199–242 [Hebrew with English abstract].

 6. Elihu Katz, “The End of Television,” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 625, no. 1 (2009): 6–18.

 7. Pablo J. Boczkowski, “The Development and Use of Online Newspapers: What Research Tells Us and What We Might Want to Know,” in Handbook of New Media, ed. Leah A. Lievrouw and Sonia Livingstone (London: Sage, 2002), 270–86.

 8. Caspi, “Online Journalism in Israel: A Preliminary Typology.” op. cit.

 9. Jan van Dijk, The Network Society: Social Aspects of New Media (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2006).

10. See Lauren Goode, “Internet is Set to Overtake Newspapers in Ad Revenue,” The Wall Street Journal, June 15, 2010, Technology News and Insights, http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/06/15/internet-is-set-to-overtake-newspapers-in-ad-revenue/?mod = rss_WSJBlog&mod =  (accessed December 25, 2010).

11. See Teleseker/Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) group, “TIM Survey – The Internet Web Sites Ranking,” Teleseker/TNS, http://www.140.co.il/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/tim05101.doc (accessed December 25, 2010) and the journalistic report on Ynet, “TIM Survey: Most of the Israeli People are Friends on the Social Network,” Ynet, January 13, 2010, Internet, http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3833872,00.html (accessed December 25, 2010).

12. Ofir Bar-Zohar, “After a Month of Delay: ‘Ma'ariv’ Deal Would be Completed this Evening,” The Marker, May 27, 2010, Capital Market, http://www.themarker.com/tmc/article.jhtml?ElementId = skira20100527_4411 (accessed December 25, 2010).

13. The Report stated that Zaki Rachiv “Informed Bank Hapoalim that he agreed to acquire the full debt, amounting to NIS 110 million. Furthermore, Rachiv introduced some NIS 60 million into Maari'v.” Bar-Zohar, “After a Month of Delay.”

14. See “Israeli,” Wikipedia, http://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%9C%D7%99_(%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%9F) (accessed December 25, 2010).

15. For a portrait of the tabloid's editor, Shmuel Mor, see Yotam Feldman, “Make it Smell, but Good,” Haaretz, August 1, 2007, http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/spages/888672.html (accessed December 25, 2010).

16. Oren Persico, “Never Mind,” Haayin Hashviit, July 14, 2009, Reports, http://www.the7eye.org.il/articles/Pages/140709_Requiem_for_a_tabloid.aspx (accessed December 25, 2010).

17. For further details, see “Israel Post,” Wikipedia, http://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%9C_%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%A1%D7%98 (accessed December 25, 2010).

18. For articles about Israel Hayom, see “Capital, Free Journal and Reign,” Haayin Hashviit, December 1, 2009, Special Survey, http://www.the7eye.org.il/specialreview/pages/all_about_israel_hayom.aspx (accessed December 25, 2010).

19. See “Israel Hayom,” Wikipedia, http://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%9C_%D7%94%D7%99%D7%95%D7%9D (accessed December 25, 2010).

20. It is not by chance that Israel Hayom was nicknamed “The Bibi Paper” [Hebrew: Bibiton]. In this context, see a series of articles in Haayin Hashviit under the heading “Paper or Bibipaper?,” Haayin Hashviit, December 1, 2009, Special Survey. Notably, see the article by Moran Rada, “Netanyahu Paid, What do you Want from him?,” Haayin Hashviit, July 8, 2000, Special Survey, http://www.the7eye.org.il/specialreview/pages/all_about_israel_hayom.aspx (accessed December 25, 2010).

21. Kevin Kawamoto, Digital Journalism (Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2003).

22. Dan Caspi, Media Decentralization: The Case of Israel's Local Newspapers (New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction, 1986).

23. Azi Lev-On, “Is Online Press Diverse? A Comparative Review of Agendas of Israeli Online Newspapers,” Kesher 41, (2011): 47–54 [Hebrew with English abstract].

24. Cf. Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism, “The State of the News Media,” State of the Media, http://www.stateofthemedia.org/2009/index.htm (accessed December 25, 2010).

25. Nelly Elias and Marina Shorer-Zeltser, “Immigrants of the World Unite? A Virtual Community of Russian-Speaking Immigrants on the Web,” Journal of International Communication 12, no. 2 (2006): 70–90.

26. Mustafa Kabha, “Network Without Boundaries: The Use of the Internet and Online Journalism among the Arab Population in Israel,” in Online Newspapers in Israel, ed. Tehila Shwarz-Altshuler (Jerusalem and Beersheba: The Israel Democracy Institute and the Burda Center for Innovative Communications, 2007), 177–198.

27. Nava Cohen-Avigdor, “From the Magazine to the Community: The Growth of Online Women's Journalism and its Unique Characteristics,” in Online Newspapers in Israel, ed. Tehila Shwarz-Altshuler (Jerusalem and Beersheba: The Israel Democracy Institute and the Burda Center for Innovative Communications, 2007), 111–46 [Hebrew with English abstract].

28. Examples of ultra-orthodox Jewish websites include http://www.tsofar.com/zofar/see_article.asp?id = 9897, http://www.stateofthemedia.org/2009/index.htm or http://www.ladaat.net.

29. Kabha, “Network Without Boundaries.” op. cit.

30. Nelly Elias and Marina Shorer-Zeltser, “My Address is not a Building, nor a Street: The Russian-Speaking Diaspora on the Web,” Diasporas 2 (2008): 178–94.

31. For a review, see Gal Mor, “Survey: 40% of the Israeli People Surf on the Net,” Ynet, June 23, 2004, Internet, http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-2936648,00.html (accessed December 25, 2010)

32. Amit Schejter, “Online Transformation: The Israel Broadcasting Authority on the Internet – What Goes, What Gets by and What Should Give,” in Online Newspapers in Israel, ed. Tehila Shwarz-Altshuler (Jerusalem and Beersheba: The Israel Democracy Institute and the Burda Center for Innovative Communications, 2007), 51–85 [Hebrew with English abstract].

33. Dan Caspi, “Media Decentralization in a Centralized System: The Case of the Local Press in Israel,” Gazette 31 (1983): 171–84.

34. The portal's name, IOL, hints at the American model the publisher had in mind, AOL (America On Line).

35. See Dea Hadar, “The Ghost Portal,” Haaretz (no date), Captain Internet, http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/pages/ShArtPE.jhtml?itemNo = 42008&contrassID = 2&subContrassID = 18&sbSubContrassID = 0&listSrc = Y. As well as the touching eulogy that is rather reminiscent of the journalists' lament for the daily Hadashot, also part of the Schocken conglomerate, after it closed in 1993: Uri Beruchin, “Requiem for IOL,” Ynet, October 13, 2004, Internet, http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/pages/ShArtPE.jhtml?itemNo = 42008&contrassID = 2&subContrassID = 18&sbSubContrassID = 0&listSrc = Y (accessed December 25, 2010).

36. Amitai Ziv, “Bezeq Acquires Haaretz's Shares in Walla,” The Marker, March 3, 2010, http://finance.walla.co.il/?w = //1654870/@@/item/printer (accessed March 3, 2010).

37. Ynet's resemblance to the online site of the British daily The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk) is not coincidental; both are the work of the same graphic designer.

38. See Yuval Dror, “Default Choice,” Haayin Hashviit, June 10, 2010, The Daily Row, http://www.the7eye.org.il/DailyColumn/Pages/100610_The_eleventh_year_of_ynet.aspx (accessed December 25, 2010).

39. See Hila Sharon, “Stretching the Brand,” Haayin Hashviit, June 10, 2010, Reports, http://www.the7eye.org.il/articles/Pages/100610_stretching_the_brand.aspx?RetUrl = /ARTICLES/Pages/katavot_lobby.aspx (accessed December 25, 2010).

40. Due disclosure: The author has an op-ed column on Ynet, a fact that should not affect the opinions expressed in this article (for a list of columans, see http://www.ynet.co.il/headlines/1,7340,L-2030-0,00.html [Hebrew].

41. Hila Sharon, “In Retrospect, it was a Brilliant Move,” Haayin Hashviit, June 10, 2010, Reports, http://www.the7eye.org.il/articles/Pages/100610_A_genius_move.aspx?RetUrl = /ARTICLES/Pages/katavot_lobby.aspx (accessed December 25, 2010).

42. Yuval Dror, “Digital Boy,” Haayin Hashviit, December 7, 2010, The Daily Row, http://www.the7eye.org.il/DailyColumn/Pages/071210_Maariv_declaring_his_own_death.aspx?RetUrl = /DAILYCOLUMN/Pages/Bottom_line_lobby.aspx (accessed December 25, 2010).

43. See Dan Caspi, “Five Remarks Concerning Haaretz,” April 3, 2009, The Daily Row, http://www.the7eye.org.il/DailyColumn/Pages/030408_caspi_haaretz.aspx?RetUrl = /WRITTERS/Pages/dan_kaspi.aspx (accessed December 25, 2010).

44. During the World Cup finals in South Africa, for example, as Rami Weitz was broadcasting games for Israeli television channels, Rami Yitzhar sent in a brief article entitled “The Whores in South Africa are Disappointing,” News-Israel, http://www.news-israel.net/Article.asp?Code = 21497 (accessed December 25, 2010).

45. See, for example, “Olmert Case,” News1, http://www.news1.co.il/Home/L02-S-00193-00.html?tag = 12-42-06 (accessed December 25, 2010). According to what was published, as quoted extensively in the media, there is prima facie evidence that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert received bribes during his term as Mayor of Jerusalem for purposes of acquiring a house.

46. See Yoav Yitzhak's articles/investigations concerning Ehud Olmert, “Exposure: The Bribe Routs – From Holyland to the House in Karmia,” News1, beginning with http://www.news1.co.il/Archive/003-D-48085-00.html?tag = 11-26-14 (accessed December 25, 2010).

47. On the About page, Yossi Strum characteristically describes the site as an online political magazine and defines himself as the editor, “Politics Now,” Politicsnow, http://www.politicsnow.co.il/onsite.html (accessed December 25, 2010).

48. Caspi, Media Decentralization. op. cit.

49. See Wikipedia, “Rotter Net,” Wikipedia, http://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%98%D7%A8.%D7%A0%D7%98, (last accessed on May 18, 2006).

50. Anat Balint, “Do it Yourself,” Haayin Hashviit, November, 2001, http://www.the7eye.org.il/Printed_Archive/Documents/issue35.pdf (accessed December 25, 2010).

51. Pablo J. Boczkowski, “The Development and Use of Online Newspapers.” op. cit.; John Carey and Nancy Hicks Maynard, “The Future of News, The Future of Journalism,” in Institutions of American Democracy: The Press, ed. Geneva Overholser and Kathleen Hall Jamieson (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005): 415–32. Gordon Rich, “The Meaning and Implications of Convergence,” in Digital Journalism, ed. Kevin Kawamoto (Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2003): 57–73.

52. See Oranit Klein-Shagrir, “Television has Separation Anxiety,” Adkan (2010): 25–9 [Hebrew].

53. See Oranit Klein-Shagrir, “Television has Separation Anxiety,” Adkan (2010), 28.

54. The MC, Guy Zohar, also asks viewers to send in clips via cell phone to the specially-commissioned short number *1397, whose keys form the Hebrew letter khaf (similar to a backwards‘c’). To intensify the sense of interactivity, the MC continues to watch one clip after another on a computer screen, reading and commenting on viewers' e-mailed requests that arrived during the programme.

55. For an extensive discussion see Jenkins, Convergence Culture. op. cit.

56. Jane B. Singer, “The Metro Wide Web: Changes in Newspapers' Gatekeeping Role Online,” Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly 78, no. 1 (2001): 65–80.

57. The Project of Excellence in Journalism, “The State of the News Media 2006,” State of the News Media, http://www.stateofthenewsmedia.com/2006/narrative_online_intro.asp?media = 4 (accessed December 25, 2010).

58. On the political mediation of media see Dan Caspi and Yehiel Limor, The In/Outsiders: The Mass Media in Israel (Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press, 1999).

59. Mark J. Deuze and Christina Dimoudi, “Online Journalists in the Netherlands: Towards a Profile of a New Profession,” Journalism 3, no. 1 (2002): 85–100.

60. Zvi Reich, “On the Limited Use of the Internet as a News Source,” in Online Newspapers in Israel, ed. Tehila Shwarz-Altshuler (Jerusalem and Beersheba: The Israel Democracy Institute and the Burda Center for Innovative Communications, 2007), 291–321.

61. Jo Bardoel, “Beyond Journalism: A Profession between Information Society and Civil Society,” European Journal of Communication 11 (1996): 283–302.

62. John V. Pavlik, “The Impact of Technology on Journalism,” Journalism Studies 1, no. 2 (2000): 229–37.

63. See, for example, publications about the launching of a news Website whose broadcasts are apparently free of all supervision, Idan Yosef, “Since August: New Israeli News Channel on the Net,” News1, http://www.news1.co.il/Archive/001-D-242294-00.html?tag = 19-10-20, (accessed December 25, 2010).

64. Ayelet Cohen and Motti Neiger, “To Talk and Talkback: Analyzing the Rhetoric of Talkbacks in Online Journalism,” in Online Newspapers in Israel, ed. Tehila Shwarz-Altshuler (Jerusalem and Beersheba: The Israel Democracy Institute and Burda Center for Innovative Communications, 2007), 321–52 [Hebrew with English abstract].

65. Zvi Reich, “How Citizens Create News Stories: The ‘News Access’ Problem Reversed,” Journalism Studies 9, no. 5 (2008): 739–58.

66. Atara Frenkel-Faran, “Journalism in the Age of the Blog: Blogs as the Avant Garde of the Alternative Communication Revolution,” in Online Newspapers in Israel, ed. Tehila Shwarz-Altshuler (Jerusalem and Beersheba: The Israel Democracy Institute and the Burda Center for Innovative Communications, 2007), 243–91 [Hebrew with English abstract].

67. See Edith Manosevitch, “User Generated Content in the Israeli Online Journalism Landscape” (in this volume).

68. Caspi, Media Decentralization. op. cit.

69. Sharon, “In Retrospect, it was a Brilliant Move.” op. cit.