When the Eilat conference on Israeli media ended and people began to leave, a certain veteran "Mr. Television" left the stage and quipped sarcastically, "Hilltop Youth for government," addressing several conservative journalists who stood there. When I heard his words, a Latin phrase came to mind: "Sic transit gloria mundi." Thus passes the glory of the world...
...the hypocritical fear and loathing over Israel Hayom reveals the widespread intellectual disgrace that Israeli journalism is in. Like Louis XIV, when he declared "I am the nation," journalists band together and declare in one version or another, "I am democracy" and "I am freedom of expression."
Those who, for ages, silenced the majority of the Israeli public and did not bring Ariel Sharon to justice because he fulfilled their political dreams by destroying settlements, those who did not gather at conferences to protest the disgrace of our democracy when Sharon shunned his own promises to those who elected him, as well as the Likud's referendum and more, dare to rise up now and teach us morality and speak about a "tyranny of the majority."...
...One evening, I spoke with a senior media personality who worked with all the "great ones" (she provided an impressive list of names and programs). I gave her my pitch about the exclusion of the conservative public (rightists, the observant, Likud, settlers, and others) from radio and television studios for ages. I explained that I wasn't referring to the interviewees, but to the interviewers, hosts, those who formulate the questions, those who hold the microphones. I told her that I grew up in a reality in which I, and others with similar views, had no voice in the media. If we review election results over the past decades, we can see a pattern of a tyrannical minority silencing the majority.
The lady was not confused, and in a few sentences revealed the ethos according to which the media has operated for too long. She said that right-wing and observant Jews are not "enlightened" and "have a moral dilemma" because they do not appreciate their fellows - the Palestinians - and therefore "do not deserve to be given the microphone." The word "occupation" was used a lot as well. How could it not be so?...
...A French journalist who was experiencing culture shock sat next to me. "How can it be that everyone is in agreement here," she asked. "Here's your lesson in Israeli journalism," I thought. "Look at the stage and you will see the Politburo of the party that no one elected, but nonetheless takes the liberty of setting our daily agenda."
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