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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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Unofficial English translation — for reference only. It may contain errors or omissions and cannot be relied on as a legal text. Only the Hebrew text published in Reshumot is legally binding.More

This English text was translated from the official Hebrew using a range of translation tools, and it undergoes ongoing checks and updates. It is not a certified translation.

Despite these checks, it may contain errors, omissions, or imprecise renderings of legal terminology and cross-references, and it may not yet reflect the latest amendments. It cannot be relied upon as a legal text.

The Hebrew text as published in Reshumot (ספר החוקים) and on the Knesset website is the sole authoritative and legally binding version. In any discrepancy, the Hebrew text prevails.

This translation is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For use in legal proceedings, request a certified Expert Legal Opinion.

Section B: Compensation Grant

Entitlement to a Grant§
104.
(a)In this Section –

"daily newspaper" – a corporation that publishes a daily newspaper in Israel and is a member of the Association of Daily Newspapers in Israel;

"cinema" – a public entertainment business within the meaning of the Business Licensing Law, 5728-1968, holding a lawful licence whose business is cinema screenings.

(b)The Authority shall pay an annual grant (hereinafter – the grant) to a daily newspaper and to a cinema whose revenues from advertising have decreased due to advertising broadcasts on Channel 2 television (hereinafter – eligible parties).
(c)A judge or another person appointed by the President of the Supreme Court shall determine which daily newspaper and cinema are eligible in each year, the period during which the grant shall be paid and the distribution of the grant among the eligible parties, provided that the grant period shall not exceed a period after the expiry of the validity of this Section.
(d)A daily newspaper or a cinema owner who is the holder of a television broadcasting franchise or the holder of a broadcasting franchise pursuant to Chapter II-A of the Communications Law, or an interested party in such a corporation, whether directly or indirectly, shall not be entitled to the grant.
Payment of the Grant§
105.
(a)The grant shall be paid from the balance of the royalties remaining with the Authority after covering its expenses.
(c)(original numbering error) The Council shall determine once a year the amount of the grant.
Application§
106.

This Section shall apply until the end of three years from the date of commencement of broadcasts by the first franchise holders on Channel 2.

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Chapter IX: Miscellaneous

Section A: Rights, Immunities and Special Powers

Immunities of the Authority§
107.
(a)Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, the Authority shall not bear liability for the infringement of any intellectual property right, including copyright, by a broadcasting licensee or its agent.
(b)Notwithstanding the provisions of the Defamation Law, 5725-1965, the Authority shall not bear liability for the breach of the provisions of the said Law by a broadcasting licensee or its agent, unless the Authority approved in advance the programme in which the provisions of the said Law were breached.
Power of Entry and Inspection§
108.
(a)For the purpose of supervising the implementation of the provisions of this Law, the Regulations and rules thereunder and the conditions of the broadcasting franchise or the conditions of the broadcasting licence, a representative authorised by the Authority for that purpose (in this section – the representative) may enter any installation, office, studio or broadcasting station used by a broadcasting licensee for the purposes of operating broadcasts or managing them, as the case may be.
(b)The representative may inspect and examine any document, list, account book, register, computerised database or recording and copy them in any manner that appears appropriate to him, provided that copying as aforesaid shall be permitted for purposes of supervision and control only.
(c)The broadcasting licensee or its representative for this purpose is required to enable the representative to carry out the provisions of this section, to furnish and present to the representative any document, list, account book, register, computerised database or recording required to be furnished or presented, and also to provide the representative with information in its possession or under its control, which is required by the representative for the purpose of supervision as referred to in subsection (a).
Suspension of Powers and Franchises in an Emergency§
109.
(a)The Government may, due to emergency conditions requiring the requisition of radio frequencies for military purposes, decide on the suspension or restriction of the Authority's powers and of broadcasting franchises or broadcasting licences, for a period not exceeding thirty days; the Government may, with the approval of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee of the Knesset, extend the validity of such a decision for a period it shall determine.
(b)The Authority or a broadcasting licensee shall not be entitled to compensation from the Government for any direct or indirect damage caused to them as a result of a declaration as referred to in subsection (a), however a broadcasting licensee shall be entitled to reimbursement of fixed expenses it incurred for the purpose of the current operation of the station during the period in which the decision was in force; in this section, "fixed expenses" – disbursements and expenses recognised by the assessing officer as an expense for the purpose of producing income.
Allocation of radio frequencies§
110.

The Minister shall allocate, pursuant to his powers under the Wireless Telegraph Ordinance and in accordance with the provisions of section 85 of the Public Broadcasting Law, radio frequencies for the purpose of carrying out broadcasts pursuant to this Law.

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Section B: Broadcasting Coordination Committee

Establishment of the Coordination Committee and its composition§
111.
(a)A committee shall be established for the coordination of the activities of the Authority, the Public Broadcasting Corporation and the Cable Broadcasting Council appointed pursuant to section 6b of the Communications Law (in this Section – the Coordination Committee).
(b)The Coordination Committee shall consist of four members:
(1)the chairperson appointed by the Government, on the recommendation of the Minister of Communications;
(2)two representatives appointed by the Minister as follows:
(a)a representative on behalf of the Authority, on the recommendation of the Council;
(b)a representative on behalf of the Cable Broadcasting Council;
(3)a representative on behalf of the Public Broadcasting Corporation appointed by the Minister;
(4)(deleted).
(c)A substitute shall be appointed for each representative by the Minister who appointed the representative.
(d)The Coordination Committee shall begin performing its functions, in accordance with section 112, no later than the 14th day of Heshvan 5762 (31 October 2001), and for this purpose its members shall be appointed by the 13th day of Tishrei 5762 (30 September 2001).
Functions of the Coordination Committee§
112.

The functions of the Coordination Committee are:

(1)the restriction of the acquisition of programmes from suppliers outside Israel, as referred to in section 62, with the necessary modifications;
(2)the prevention of the broadcasting of similar or identical programmes that have been produced or whose production has been commenced by the Authority, the Public Broadcasting Corporation or by those licensed for broadcasting pursuant to this Law or pursuant to the Communications Law;
(3)any other coordination action that the Government may impose upon it.
Appeal against a decision of the Coordination Committee§
113.

A member of the Coordination Committee may appeal to the Government, through the Minister who appointed him, against a decision of the Committee, within seventy-two hours of the time of its adoption; the implementation of the decision shall be stayed pending the Government's determination of the appeal.

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Section C: Complaints Commissioner

Appointment of a Complaints Commissioner and term of appointment§
114.
(a)The Minister shall appoint a Complaints Commissioner whose function is to investigate complaints brought to him from the public regarding broadcasts (hereinafter – the Complaints Commissioner); the appointment of the Complaints Commissioner shall be for five years.
(b)The Authority shall pay the Complaints Commissioner his salary and the other payments due to him in respect of his term of office, at the rate to be determined by the Minister.
(c)Notice of the appointment of the Complaints Commissioner and of the address of his office shall be published in Reshumot (Official Gazette).
Expiry of tenure§
115.

The appointment of the Complaints Commissioner shall expire before the end of his term of office in any of the following circumstances:

(1)upon his resignation;
(2)if the Minister has decided, after consultation with the Council, to remove him from office.
Submission of a complaint§
116.

A complaint shall be submitted in writing directly to the Complaints Commissioner, shall be signed by the complainant, and shall state the name and address of the complainant, a detailed description of the matter to which the complaint relates, including the date on which it occurred, and any other particular relevant to the matter and which assists in the efficient investigation of the complaint.

Complaints against whom and about what§
117.
(a)A complaint may be submitted against the Authority, against a broadcasting licensee, against the news company, and also against an employee, office holder or person performing a function of the Authority, of a broadcasting licensee or of the news company.
(b)The subject matter of a complaint may be –
(1)where the complaint is against a franchise holder or against the news company – the content of broadcasts whose broadcasting contravenes the provisions of this Law, or Regulations or rules prescribed pursuant thereto, or which are otherwise defective under law;
(2)where the complaint is against the Authority – an act or omission relating to the supervision of the broadcasts of a franchise holder, and in relation to the Authority's own broadcasts – as referred to in paragraph (1).
Complaints that shall not be investigated§
118.
(a)The following complaints shall not be investigated:
(1)a complaint by a broadcasting licensee against the Authority or against the news company;
(2)a complaint by a broadcasting licensee against another broadcasting licensee;
(3)a complaint by a person employed by the news company, by the Authority, or by a broadcasting licensee, in a matter relating to his employment;
(4)a complaint in a matter pending before a court or tribunal, or in respect of which a court or tribunal has given a decision on the merits;
(5)a complaint against a judicial act of a court or judge, of a tribunal or member of a tribunal, or of a committee established pursuant to law or of a member thereof;
(6)a complaint in a matter in respect of which a decision has been given that may be, or could have been, the subject of an objection, appeal or further appeal, and which is not of the type of matters dealt with in paragraphs (1) to (5);
(7)a complaint submitted after three months have elapsed from the date on which the matter to which it relates occurred;
(8)a complaint that the Complaints Commissioner considers to be vexatious or frivolous;
(9)a complaint against a broadcasting licensee in a matter in respect of which a complaint has already been submitted to the Authority;
(10)a complaint in a matter in respect of which a complaint has already been submitted to the State Comptroller in his capacity as Public Complaints Commissioner pursuant to Chapter VII of the State Comptroller Law.
(b)Where a complaint has been submitted that, pursuant to subsection (a), is not to be investigated, the Complaints Commissioner shall notify the complainant in writing that he will not deal with the complaint and shall state the reasons therefor.
Methods of investigation§
119.
(a)The Complaints Commissioner may investigate a complaint in any manner he sees fit and is not bound by any provision of procedure or of the law of evidence.
(b)The Complaints Commissioner shall bring the complaint to the attention of the person against whom the complaint is made, and if that person is an employee, office holder or person performing a function as referred to in section 117(a) – also to the attention of his superior (hereinafter – the superior), and shall give them an adequate opportunity to respond to it; the Complaints Commissioner may require them to respond to the complaint within a period to be specified in his demand.
(c)The Complaints Commissioner may also hear the complainant, the person against whom the complaint is made and any other person, if he considers this to be of benefit.
(d)For the purpose of the investigation, the Complaints Commissioner may require any person to appear before him and to furnish him, within a period and in a manner to be specified in the demand, with any information or document that may, in the opinion of the Complaints Commissioner, assist in the investigation of the complaint; a person who is required to appear or to furnish information or a document as aforesaid is obliged to comply with the demand, and the provisions of section 11 of the Commissions of Inquiry Law, 5729-1968, shall apply, with the necessary modifications, to a refusal to comply with the demand.
(e)The provisions of subsection (d) shall not derogate from the provisions of Chapter III of the Evidence Ordinance [New Version] (hereinafter – the Evidence Ordinance).
Discontinuation of investigation§
120.

The Complaints Commissioner shall discontinue the investigation of a complaint if he finds that from the outset there was no basis for investigating it pursuant to the provisions of this Section, and may discontinue it if he finds that the subject matter of the complaint has been remedied or that the complainant has withdrawn the complaint; the Complaints Commissioner shall notify the complainant and the person against whom the complaint is made in writing that he has discontinued the investigation, and shall state the reasons therefor.

Outcome of the investigation§
121.
(a)If the Complaints Commissioner finds that the complaint was justified, in whole or in part, he shall deliver a reasoned written notice to that effect to the complainant and to the person against whom the complaint is made; if the investigation of the complaint reveals the existence of a deficiency, the Complaints Commissioner may indicate to the person against whom the complaint is made the need to remedy the deficiency and the manner and time for doing so.
(b)A notice by the Complaints Commissioner as referred to in subsection (a) shall also be delivered to the following:
(1)where the complaint is against a broadcasting licensee or against the news company – to the Authority;
(2)where the complaint is against the Authority – to the Minister;
(3)where the complaint is against an employee, office holder or person performing a function as referred to in section 117(a) – to the superior.
(c)The Authority in relation to the Authority's broadcasts, the news company and a broadcasting licensee that was the subject of a complaint, shall broadcast, at the demand of the Complaints Commissioner, a notice regarding the outcome of the investigation of such a complaint that was found to be justified, at the time and in the wording specified by the Complaints Commissioner in his demand.
(d)The person against whom the complaint is made or the superior shall notify the Complaints Commissioner, within the time referred to in subsection (a), of the measures taken to remedy the deficiency; if the notice did not satisfy the Complaints Commissioner, or was not given as required, he may bring the matter to the attention of the Minister.
(e)If the Complaints Commissioner finds that the complaint was not justified, he shall notify the complainant, the person against whom the complaint is made and the superior who received notice pursuant to section 119(b) accordingly, and may set out in his notice a summary of his findings.
(f)If the investigation of the complaint raises a suspicion that a criminal offence has been committed, the Complaints Commissioner shall notify the Attorney General thereof.
Rights and remedies§
122.
(a)The decisions of the Complaints Commissioner in respect of a complaint –
(1)shall not confer upon the complainant or any other person a right or remedy before a court or tribunal that did not exist before;
(2)shall not prevent the complainant or any other person from exercising a right or seeking a remedy to which he is entitled; however, if a time limit for exercising a right or seeking a remedy as aforesaid has been prescribed in legislation, that time limit shall not be extended by reason of the submission of the complaint or its investigation.
(b)A court or tribunal shall not entertain an application for a remedy against the decisions and findings of the Complaints Commissioner.
Complaints Commissioner – public servant§
123.

The Complaints Commissioner and any other person who assists the Complaints Commissioner in performing his functions shall be treated as a public servant for the purposes of the Penal Law, 5737-1977.

Report§
124.
(a)The Complaints Commissioner shall submit to the Minister, at least once a year, a report on his activities that shall contain a general review and a description of the handling of a selection of complaints; once a report has been submitted, the Complaints Commissioner may publish it.
(b)A report or other document published or prepared by the Complaints Commissioner in the performance of his functions, and also a notice communicated to him in the course of performing his functions, shall not be admissible as evidence in any legal or disciplinary proceeding.
Independence of the Complaints Commissioner§
125.

The Complaints Commissioner is subject to no authority in matters relating to the performance of his functions pursuant to this Section, other than the authority of the law.

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