IBA shutdown

The sudden and brutal closing of Israel Radio and TV is not only an obvious violation of conventional wisdom, as described by Greer Fay Cashman in “Rivlin lauds Reshet Bet and Channel 1 after abrupt end” (May 11), it flies in the face of any logic or professional competence. The public is literally left with no broadcasting or programming, even if it is a just a temporary hiatus.

Quick on-the-hour news broadcasts with nothing more than music in between seems more like something out of a totalitarian regime than a mere technical aspect of moving from one communications organization to another. This incredible situation illustrates more than anything else how little anyone in the government knows – or even cares – about what is supposed to happen, not to mention the obvious narrow-minded and petty, personal and political motivation of the prime minister on down for initiating and implementing the entire process.

It has actually been difficult to follow the whole fiasco, since those who originally fought to close down the Israel Broadcasting Authority for ostensibly financial, professional and ethical issues suddenly became its greatest defenders, even willing to go to new elections for their “altruistic” and public-minded principles.

Leaving any democratic country – especially Israel – with four full days of nothing on both radio and TV is scandalous, crazy, worse than incompetent and even dangerous.

GERSHON HARRIS

Hatzor Haglilit

What a shame that there will no longer be English news on TV or radio. It was a wonderful service – well researched, well presented and greatly appreciated.

The way things are, there should be more English news, not less. Does nobody have the intelligence to realize this?

RAYMOND APPLE

Jerusalem

The treatment of newscasters from the English-language programs – who could not even say goodbye to their audiences – was shameful, to say the least (“The news in English... is over,” May 11).

What is also shameful is that political leaders like Naftali Bennett (Bayit Yehudi), Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) and Moshe Kahlon (Kulanu) did not make any effort to save the English-language news. They all made a big deal about wanting to draw English speakers into their parties; it seems they just want our votes but won’t go to bat for us like Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman did for Russian-speaking Israelis.

Our government is shortsighted. A good English-language newscast can be picked up worldwide on the Internet. It is an opportunity not only to serve a large portion of the Israeli population, but also to present an outlet to tell the world our side of the story.

It is time to look at the big picture.

KURT SIMON

Jerusalem