Second Authority for Television and Radio Law, 5750-1990
חוק הרשות השניה לטלויזיה ורדיו, התש"ן–1990
Published: 1990-02-13Last amended 2026-07-28✓ Amendment status checked against the Knesset legislation record on 2026-09-09
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Chapter V: Radio Broadcasting
Section A: Stations, Franchises and Licences
Licensing of radio broadcasting§
72.
(a)The Council shall grant franchises for the operation of regional stations for regional radio broadcasting and shall determine by rules the division of the country into at least eleven zones in which at least fifteen but not more than twenty franchises for radio broadcasting shall be granted, all as the Council shall determine from time to time; in determining the zones and in granting the franchises, the Council shall act with a view to maintaining regional radio broadcasting throughout the country, taking into account, inter alia, the possibility of allocating frequencies, the conditions of wave propagation, economic considerations, and the variety of types of broadcasts and their nature.
(With effect from 1.1.2030): The Council shall grant franchises for the operation of regional stations for regional radio broadcasting and shall determine by rules the division of the country into zones for this purpose; in determining the zones and in granting the franchises, the Council shall act with a view to maintaining regional radio broadcasting, taking into account, inter alia, the possibility of allocating frequencies, the conditions of wave propagation, economic considerations, and the variety of types of broadcasts and their nature.
The Second Authority for Television and Radio (Radio Broadcasting Franchise Zones) Rules, 5755-1995 have been published.
(a1)The Council shall grant licences for digital radio broadcasting with nationwide coverage, in accordance with rules it shall determine pursuant to section 72b, and subject to the Minister's approval regarding the possibility of allocating frequencies pursuant to the provisions of the Wireless Telegraph Ordinance and the quantity of frequencies that may be allocated for such broadcasts.
(a2)The broadcasts of a holder of a digital radio broadcasting licence shall be distributed by means of a broadcasting station of a holder of a franchise for the operation of a broadcasting station or by means of a satellite feed station of a holder of a licence for the operation of a satellite feed station.
(a3)The Minister shall instruct, after consulting with the Council and no later than the 2nd of Iyar 5766 (30 April 2006), whether licences for digital radio broadcasting distributed by means of a holder of a franchise for the operation of a broadcasting station shall be granted by the Council by way of tender or without a tender; such an instruction shall be given having regard, inter alia, to an estimate of the number of applications to be submitted for the grant of such licences relative to the number of frequencies to be allocated for this purpose, and to considerations of the promotion of competition and the public interest; licences for digital radio broadcasting distributed by means of a satellite feed station of a holder of a licence for the operation of a satellite feed station shall be granted without a tender.
(b)Nothing in the provisions of this section shall derogate from the provisions of the Wireless Telegraph Ordinance.
(c)After the expiry of four years from the commencement of the Second Authority for Television and Radio Law (Amendment No. 6), 5754-1994, the Council may, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), grant, from time to time, additional franchises for radio broadcasting, including by way of dividing the country into additional zones, all as it shall determine.
(d)In granting franchises and licences pursuant to this section, the Council shall act with a view to maintaining radio stations whose purpose is to promote Israeli creativity and songs in the Hebrew language; in this subsection, "song in the Hebrew language" – a song most of whose words are in the Hebrew language.
(e)In granting franchises and licences and determining their conditions pursuant to this section, and also in determining rules pursuant to section 72b, the Council shall act for the purpose of promoting competition, taking into account, inter alia, all of the following:
(1)The possibility of allocating frequencies and their quantity;
(2)The conditions of wave propagation;
(3)Economic considerations;
(4)The variety of types of broadcasts and their characterisation, including unique characteristics such as culture, language or heritage;
(5)The suitability of the applicant for the franchise or licence to broadcast radio broadcasts;
(6)Considerations of the public interest.
(f)
(1)A holder of a radio broadcasting franchise may broadcast, in addition to the broadcasts he is permitted to broadcast within the framework of his franchise (in this section – the primary broadcasts), radio broadcasts with content different from the primary broadcasts, during part of the hours of the day (in this section – additional broadcast content), if the Council has approved this as referred to in paragraph (2).
(2)Without derogating from its power as referred to in subsection (a), if the Council has found, after mapping the special needs of a variety of populations throughout the country, that there is a need for additional broadcast content for a particular population in a particular area within a franchise zone, it may give the holder of the radio broadcasting franchise approval to broadcast one additional broadcast content only in that area, to be broadcast in place of the primary broadcasts, in accordance with rules it shall determine; in giving approval and in determining rules as aforesaid, the Council shall act in accordance with the provisions of subsection (e).
The Second Authority for Television and Radio (Procedures and Conditions for Obtaining Approval for Additional Broadcast Content by a Holder of a Radio Broadcasting Franchise) Rules, 5777-2016 have been published.
(3)The Council shall not give approval for additional broadcast content as referred to in paragraph (2), unless the Minister's approval regarding the possibility of allocating frequencies pursuant to the provisions of the Wireless Telegraph Ordinance has been given.
(4)If a holder of a radio broadcasting franchise has been given approval for additional broadcast content, the Minister's approval regarding the possibility of allocating additional frequencies to that franchise holder for the purpose of covering his franchise zone shall not be given unless interference with the reception of his broadcasts has been discovered.
Restrictions on additional franchises and additional licences§
72a.
(a)An additional franchise for radio broadcasting shall not be granted –
(1)To one who has already received a franchise for radio broadcasting in the same zone, or to an affiliated corporation of his;
(2)To a corporation in which one who holds any proportion of means of control also holds, whether directly or indirectly, any proportion of means of control in a corporation that holds a franchise for radio broadcasting in the same zone;
(3)If as a result of its grant, a corporation, or one who holds any proportion of means of control in it, or one or more affiliated corporations of any of them, would hold more than one-fifth of the number of franchises that have been granted or for which a tender has been published at that time, or means of control in one or more corporations holding that number of franchises, all whether directly or indirectly;
(4)If as a result of its grant, a corporation, or one who holds more than twenty-four per cent of the means of control in it, or one or more affiliated corporations of any of them, directly or indirectly, would hold an additional franchise beyond a franchise already won by any of them, for a zone whose boundaries include one of the cities of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv or Haifa.
(b)An additional licence for radio broadcasting shall not be granted –
(1)If as a result of its grant, a corporation, or one who holds any proportion of means of control in it, or one or more affiliated corporations of any of them, would hold more than one-fifth of the number of licences granted for radio broadcasting distributed by means of a broadcasting station or for which a tender has been published at that time, or means of control in one or more corporations holding that number of licences, all whether directly or indirectly;
(2)If as a result of its grant, a corporation, or one who holds any proportion of means of control in it, or one or more affiliated corporations of any of them, would hold more than one-fifth of the number of licences for digital radio broadcasting distributed by means of a satellite feed station, or means of control in one or more corporations holding that number of licences, all whether directly or indirectly.
(c)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b), the Minister may, after consulting with the Council and with the approval of the Committee, amend the conditions and restrictions prescribed in that subsection and prescribe other or additional conditions or restrictions in respect of the grant of an additional licence for radio broadcasting.
Rules in respect of the grant of a licence for digital radio broadcasting§
72b.
(a)The Council shall determine rules for the grant of a licence for digital radio broadcasting, whether the Minister has instructed pursuant to the provisions of section 72(a3) that licences for digital radio broadcasting as referred to in that section be granted by way of tender or has instructed that such licences be granted without a tender, including rules on the following matters:
(1)The conditions for the grant of the licence, including the manner of submitting an application for the grant of a licence and the processing thereof, information that the licence applicant must disclose and documents that he must furnish;
(2)The professional knowledge and experience and the financial capacity required of the licence applicant for the purpose of receiving the licence;
(3)The period of validity of the licence, including the possibility of extending its period of validity for one or more additional periods;
(4)The broadcasts to be provided by the licence holder.
(b)Rules pursuant to this section shall be determined no later than the 4th of Tammuz 5766 (30 June 2006).
(c)Nothing in the provisions of this section shall derogate from the Council's power pursuant to section 33(b).
The Second Authority for Television and Radio (Broadcasting of Radio Programmes by a Franchise Holder) Rules, 5759-1999 have been published.
The Second Authority for Television and Radio (Procedures for the Grant of a Licence for Radio Broadcasting) Rules, 5766-2006 have been published.
Conditions and restrictions in respect of the grant of a licence for digital radio broadcasting§
72c.
(a)The conditions and restrictions set out in paragraphs (1) to (4) of section 41(a) and in paragraphs (4) and (5) of section 41(c) shall apply, with the necessary modifications, to an applicant for a licence for digital radio broadcasting, and the powers vested in the Council as a tenders committee under sections 42 to 45 and the duties imposed upon it under those sections shall be vested in it in respect of such an applicant, whether the grant of a licence for digital radio broadcasting is by way of tender or otherwise.
(b)Without derogating from the provisions of subsection (a), a licence for digital radio broadcasting shall not be granted to a person in whom one of the following applies:
(1)the person is a body that broadcasts to the public or to a part thereof pursuant to law, or is a corporation in which such a body is an interested party, or the person is an interested party in such a body, or the person is a newspaper; the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to a corporation in which the holder of a television broadcasting franchise, the holder of a television broadcasting licence under this Law, or the holder of a broadcasting licence under the Communications Law, are interested parties, or to a corporation that is an interested party in any of them; for the purposes of this paragraph, the holder of a radio broadcasting franchise or the holder of a licence for digital radio broadcasting under this Law, or the holder of a special licence for cable broadcasting under the Communications Law, shall not be regarded as a body that broadcasts to the public pursuant to law;
(2)the person is a corporation that is a controlling shareholder in the holder of a television broadcasting franchise or in the holder of a television broadcasting licence under this Law, or a controlling shareholder in the holder of a broadcasting licence under the Communications Law, excluding a special licence for cable broadcasting, and is also a controlling shareholder in the holder of a licence for digital radio broadcasting;
(3)the person is a corporation in which a person who holds twenty-four per cent or more of any class of means of control therein, or who controls it, is also a controlling shareholder in the holder of a television broadcasting franchise or in the holder of a television broadcasting licence under this Law, or a controlling shareholder in the holder of a broadcasting licence under the Communications Law, excluding the holder of a special licence for cable broadcasting, and also a controlling shareholder in the holder of a licence for digital radio broadcasting;
(4)the person is a corporation in which a person who holds twenty-four per cent or more of any class of means of control therein, or who controls it, is also the holder of a television broadcasting franchise or the holder of a television broadcasting licence under this Law, or the holder of a broadcasting licence under the Communications Law, excluding the holder of a special licence for cable broadcasting, and also a controlling shareholder in the holder of a licence for digital radio broadcasting;
(5)the person is a corporation in which a person who holds twenty-four per cent or more of any class of means of control therein, or who controls it, is also the holder of a licence for digital radio broadcasting and also a controlling shareholder in the holder of a television broadcasting franchise or in the holder of a television broadcasting licence under this Law, or a controlling shareholder in the holder of a broadcasting licence under the Communications Law, excluding the holder of a special licence for cable broadcasting;
(6)the person is a corporation that is a newspaper, or that is a controlling shareholder in a newspaper, or a corporation in which a person who holds more than 49% of a particular class of means of control therein, or who controls it, is also a controlling shareholder in a newspaper or in an affiliated corporation of a newspaper.
(c)Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Minister may, after consultation with the Council and with the approval of the Committee, amend the conditions and restrictions set out in subsection (b) and in section 41(c)(4) and (5), and prescribe other or additional conditions or restrictions that shall apply to an applicant for a licence for digital radio broadcasting.
(d)In this section, "newspaper" – as defined in section 6h4(c) of the Communications Law.
(e)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b)(6), a person who was the holder of means of control in a corporation that was the holder of a radio broadcasting franchise on the 20th of Tevet 5765 (1 January 2005), and that corporation applies for a licence for digital radio broadcasting, shall be permitted to hold means of control in that corporation for the purpose of the receipt of a licence for digital radio broadcasting by that corporation, for as long as that corporation which is the franchise holder continues to conduct its broadcasts by virtue of a radio broadcasting franchise.
Franchise for the operation of a broadcasting station§
72d.
(a)
(1)A franchise for the operation of a broadcasting station shall be granted by way of a tender to be published by a tenders committee appointed by the Minister (in this section – the tenders committee), whose members shall be as follows:
(a)three employees of the Ministry of Communications, to be appointed by the Minister;
(b)three employees of the Ministry of Finance, to be appointed by the Minister of Finance.
(2)An employee of the Authority appointed by the Director shall be invited to attend the meetings of the tenders committee.
(b)The tenders committee shall direct the conditions of the tender under this section, including, inter alia, conditions on the following matters:
(1)the manner of selecting the winner of the tender;
(2)the number of winners of the tender;
(3)the right to participate in the tender, and also restrictions and limitations in respect of that right;
(4)the eligibility requirements for participation in the tender;
(5)the period of validity of the franchise, including the possibility of extending the period of validity for one or more additional periods;
(6)conditions and restrictions regarding the holding, transfer or acquisition of means of control in the franchise applicant;
(7)ownership of the broadcasting station for the operation of which the franchise is sought, during and after the franchise period;
(8)the professional knowledge and experience required of the franchise applicant, including the technology to be used for the operation of the broadcasting station and the methods of reception and access to broadcasts distributed by means of the broadcasting station;
(9)guarantees that the holder of the franchise for the operation of a broadcasting station must furnish in order to receive the franchise and to secure compliance with the conditions of the franchise, and the methods for their realisation.
(c)A tender under this section shall be published no later than the 9th of Kislev 5766 (30 November 2006).
(d)The Minister shall grant a franchise for the operation of a broadcasting station to the person selected by the tenders committee, and shall determine the conditions of the franchise in accordance with the conditions of the tender; the Minister may, during the franchise period, amend, add to or remove conditions in the franchise.
(e)The provisions of sections 33(c), 36(a), 37, 41(a)(2), 42 to 44 and 109 shall apply in respect of a franchise for the operation of a broadcasting station or in respect of the holder of such a franchise, with the necessary modifications as appropriate, and with this modification: in section 37, wherever appearing, instead of "the Council" read "the Minister".
Licence for the operation of a satellite uplink station§
72e.
No person shall install, operate or maintain a satellite uplink station unless that person has received a licence therefor from the Minister pursuant to the provisions of section 4 of the Communications Law, and in accordance with the conditions of the licence.
Distribution of radio broadcasts of bodies that broadcast pursuant to law§
72f.
(a)The holder of a franchise for the operation of a broadcasting station shall distribute, if the Minister has directed it to do so and in accordance with the Minister's directions, the radio broadcasts of bodies that broadcast pursuant to law and that are specified in paragraphs (1) to (3), which have so requested, by means of channels of the broadcasting station as specified in those paragraphs, in full, in real time and without any interruption or editing:
(1)the Public Broadcasting Corporation – up to 4 channels;
(2)Galei Tzahal – Israel Defence Forces Radio Broadcasts – up to 2 channels;
(3)a person who was the holder of a franchise for regional radio broadcasting on the 20th of Tevet 5765 (1 January 2005) – one channel, provided that both of the following apply to such franchise holder:
(a)it complies with all the conditions of its franchise;
(b)it is the holder of a licence for digital radio broadcasting.
(b)In consideration for the distribution of radio broadcasts as referred to in subsection (a), the holder of a franchise for the operation of a broadcasting station may demand from each of the broadcasting bodies referred to in that subsection a reasonable payment, and in the absence of agreement between them regarding the amount of the payment – a payment in the amount directed by the Minister, after consultation with the Council, according to the payment paid by other holders of licences for radio broadcasting, and in the absence of such a payment – a payment in the amount directed by the Minister as aforesaid, based on the cost of use according to a method of calculation as the Minister shall direct, plus a reasonable profit.
Distribution of radio broadcasts of the holder of a licence for digital radio broadcasting§
72g.
(a)Where the Council has granted a licence for digital radio broadcasting, the holder of a franchise for the operation of a broadcasting station shall distribute the broadcasts of such licence holder by means of its broadcasting station; where the Minister has granted a number of franchises for the operation of a broadcasting station, the Minister shall direct which franchise holder for the operation of a broadcasting station shall distribute the radio broadcasts of each holder of a licence for digital radio broadcasting.
(b)In consideration for the distribution of radio broadcasts as referred to in subsection (a), the holder of the licence for digital radio broadcasting shall pay to the holder of the franchise for the operation of a broadcasting station a payment as set out below:
(1)where the conditions of the tender for the selection of such franchise holder under the provisions of section 72d(b) specify an amount payable for the distribution of radio broadcasts by means thereof – a payment in the amount so specified;
(2)where no payment is specified as referred to in paragraph (1), the holder of the franchise for the operation of a broadcasting station may demand from the holder of a licence for digital radio broadcasting a reasonable payment, and in the absence of agreement between them regarding the amount of the payment – a payment in the amount directed by the Minister, after consultation with the Council, based on the cost of use according to a method of calculation as the Minister shall direct, plus a reasonable profit.
Establishment of a broadcasting station by the Authority§
72h.
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 72d, the Minister may, with the consent of the Minister of Finance and with the approval of the Economics Committee of the Knesset, direct that the Authority shall plan and establish, by itself or through another, a broadcasting station for the distribution of radio broadcasts of the holder of a licence for digital radio broadcasting, and operate it for a period to be determined.
Joint broadcasts of holders of franchises for regional radio broadcasting§
72i.
Without derogating from the provisions of the Economic Competition Law, holders of a franchise for regional radio broadcasting may produce and broadcast joint broadcasts, in accordance with rules to be prescribed by the Council in this regard, including in respect of the time of such broadcasts.
Merger of holders of franchises for regional radio broadcasting or holding of means of control§
72j.
Without derogating from the provisions of the Economic Competition Law and from the provisions of this Law other than the provisions of section 72a(a)(4), with the consent of the Minister and with the approval of the Council –
(1)the holder of a franchise for regional radio broadcasting may amalgamate with another franchise holder for regional radio broadcasting who is not a franchise holder in the same zone, into a single corporation that shall replace them and shall be the holder of a franchise for radio broadcasting in every zone of the broadcasting zones of each of the franchise holders that have amalgamated;
(2)the holder of a franchise for regional radio broadcasting, or a person who holds means of control therein, may acquire means of control in another franchise holder who is not a franchise holder in the same zone.
Empowerment of Ministers to consider the existence of harm and the grant of compensation to the holder of a franchise for radio broadcasting§
72k.
Where the Minister and the Minister of Finance are satisfied, after consultation with the Council, that a person who was the holder of a franchise for radio broadcasting on the 20th of Tevet 5765 (1 January 2005) will be harmed, during the franchise period granted to that person in accordance with the provisions of sections 34 or 35(a), by reason of radio broadcasting by the digital method under a licence for digital radio broadcasting and by reason of the grant of a franchise for the operation of a broadcasting station, and that such person ought to be compensated therefor, they may determine the appropriate compensation in the circumstances of the matter, including the extension of the franchise of the said radio broadcasting franchise holder; a determination regarding the extension of a franchise, including the period of extension, requires the approval of the Council and the Economics Committee of the Knesset.
Postponement of dates§
72l.
Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 72(a3), 72b(b) and 72d(c), the Minister may, with the approval of the Committee, postpone, by Order, the dates set out in those sections, for a period not exceeding one year, if the Minister is satisfied that such postponement is required by reason of considerations of the public interest or the assurance of competition in the field of radio broadcasting.
Financing of stations§
73.
(a)The holder of a franchise for radio broadcasting or the holder of a licence for analogue radio broadcasting shall establish, maintain and operate the broadcasting station and the studio at its own expense.
(b)The holder of a franchise for the operation of a broadcasting station shall establish, maintain and operate the broadcasting station at its own expense.
(c)The holder of a licence for digital radio broadcasting shall establish, maintain and operate the studio at its own expense.
Financing of broadcasts of the holder of a licence for digital radio broadcasting§
73a.
The holder of a licence for digital radio broadcasting may finance its broadcasts by means of payments collected from its subscribers, by means of advertising spots included within its broadcasts in consideration for payment at a rate to be determined, or by means of both.
Conduct of broadcasts within the zone§
74.
(a)The holder of a franchise for radio broadcasting shall operate the broadcasting station and conduct the radio broadcasts and all other activity connected therewith, at a site to be located within the boundaries of the zone designated for its broadcasts.
(b)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), where, owing to factors beyond the control of the franchise holder, including technological factors, the establishment of a broadcasting station (in this section – the station) outside the boundaries of the zone designated for the broadcasts of a franchise holder is required, the Minister may, in consultation with the Council, and having regard, inter alia, to wave propagation conditions, approve the establishment of such a station, provided that all of the following have been met:
(1)the holder of the franchise for radio broadcasting in whose zone it is proposed to establish the station (in this section – the other franchise holder) has been given an opportunity to state its arguments;
(2)the Minister is satisfied that the establishment of the station will not harm the reception of the broadcasts of the other franchise holder;
(3)the purpose of the station is solely to serve the franchise zone of the franchise holder;
(4)the location of the station does not exceed 15 kilometres from the edge of the boundary of the franchise zone referred to in paragraph (3), or at a greater distance, if the Minister is satisfied that it is not possible to locate a site for the station within the said distance.
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