Channel 14

Channel 14, officially branded Now 14 and still commonly called Channel 14, is an Israeli commercial television broadcaster and digital news organization. Its programming combines television news, political commentary, current-affairs discussion, satire, interviews, talk shows and selected religious or heritage content. The channel is widely associated with Israel’s political right and is frequently described by observers as conservative, nationalist and supportive of positions identified with the Israeli right, including positions favorable to Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud political camp. The service originated in a long-running Israeli regulatory effort to establish a commercial channel devoted to Jewish heritage, Israeli identity and the history, culture and traditions of the Jewish people. A first tender was issued in 2005, but the winning project did not launch because of ownership conflict and economic viability problems. A second tender was eventually issued, and Yitzchak Mirilashvili became the sole bidder and winner. He received a license to operate the channel in 2013. The broadcaster began trial transmissions on 30 June 2014 as Channel 20. Its original license limited the scope of its programming to heritage-related subjects, and the channel repeatedly faced regulatory difficulties when it attempted to broadcast news, election-related material and other content outside that mandate. The Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Council fined it for several alleged breaches, including the airing of an election rally and news flashes before it had full authorization for news broadcasting. In December 2016, regulators permitted a limited amount of news programming, creating a path toward a broader current-affairs identity. A major regulatory change came in 2018, when an amendment commonly known as the Channel 20 Law created a dedicated small-channel license. The amendment allowed certain specialized cable and satellite channels to operate under the Second Authority for Television and Radio with more flexible obligations than conventional commercial broadcasters. Channel 20 obtained the new license in March 2018 and moved from the supervision of the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Council to the Second Authority. It subsequently established a formal news division and began regular news bulletins on 25 March 2018. Boaz Golan, founder and editor of the 0404 news website, became chief news editor. The channel also sought greater national visibility through changes in distribution. In January 2021 it won the tender to use channel position 14, which had become available after Channel 10 merged with Reshet 13. On 28 November 2021, it moved from Channel 20 to Channel 14 and adopted the Now 14 brand. The station later concentrated most of its operations in studios in Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut. It also launched a printed magazine, initially called 20 Magazine and later renamed Now 14 Magazine. News and political discussion are now central to the service. Its best-known program is The Patriots, a panel show in which journalists and activists debate political and social issues and respond to social-media material. Its principal evening newscast is broadcast at approximately 19:50 Israel time and has been presented by Maggie Tabibi. The channel has also maintained a digital news presence and has collaborated with Galei Yisrael radio. Channel 14 has attracted substantial controversy over its editorial line, coverage of Israeli politics, treatment of religious and cultural groups, and statements made by presenters or guests. Disputes have included the exclusion of Reform and Conservative Jewish representatives from programming, an interview with a convicted arsonist, remarks by a reporter about a missile strike, comments by commentator Ari Shamai during the 2023 judicial-reform protests, and criticism of reports concerning former prime minister Naftali Bennett. During the Gaza war, Israeli civil-rights organizations asked regulators and the attorney general to investigate statements they characterized as support for genocide or incitement to war crimes. The channel and its supporters have generally presented such disputes within a broader argument about political bias, media pluralism and unequal treatment by regulators. As of the available reference material, Channel 14 remains an active Israeli broadcaster with a strong right-wing audience and an increasingly news-centered business model.

The institutional roots of Channel 14 lie in Israel's effort to expand commercial broadcasting through specialized channels. A 1997 government-approved committee report proposed a heritage channel alongside planned Arabic, Amharic, music, Russian and news services. The heritage project was delayed repeatedly. In 2005, a tender was won by the Hirsch Media Group of Shlomo Ben-Zvi, but disagreements between partners and concerns about economic feasibility prevented the channel from launching. A second tender was eventually published in 2012. Yitzchak Mirilashvili was the only bidder and won the license, receiving regulatory approval in August 2013. The channel began trial broadcasts on 30 June 2014 as Channel 20. Its original mandate focused on Israeli heritage, Jewish religion, and the history, culture and traditions of Jewish communities in Israel and the diaspora. The narrow license created repeated friction. Regulators fined the channel for airing an election rally and news flashes, and rejected a request to broadcast a basketball match because the proposed content was outside the channel's permitted scope. In December 2016, the regulator allowed limited news coverage, but the channel continued to argue that the licensing framework prevented it from developing a viable commercial service. The broadcaster's regulatory position changed in 2018. An amendment to the Second Television and Radio Authority Law, widely called the Channel 20 Law, created a dedicated small-channel category with reduced obligations in areas such as local production and news-company structure. Channel 20 obtained this license in March and came under the Second Authority for Television and Radio. It then appointed Boaz Golan as chief news editor and began regular news bulletins on 25 March. A collaboration with Galei Yisrael during 2018 and 2019 expanded its radio and live-news presence. The service gradually moved away from a primarily heritage-oriented identity toward general news and political programming. In January 2021, it won a tender for channel position 14, which had been left unused after Channel 10's merger into Reshet 13. On 28 November 2021, the broadcaster moved to position 14 and adopted the Now 14 name. Most of its studios were later relocated to Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut. A monthly print publication launched in 2021 as 20 Magazine and was subsequently renamed Now 14 Magazine. The present-day brand is primarily a news and commentary outlet. The Patriots is its signature panel program, while the main evening newscast is presented by Maggie Tabibi. The channel also publishes digital news and periodically carries religious programming, although religious content has declined as the news operation has expanded. Its history has been marked by political and regulatory controversy. Early disputes concerned the exclusion of Reform and Conservative Jewish representatives, resulting in regulatory penalties and legal challenges. In 2018, the channel apologized after broadcasting an interview with Yitzhak Gabbai, who had been convicted for setting fire to a bilingual Jewish-Arab school. In 2021, reporter Kobi Finkler was dismissed after making a remark about a missile striking an Arab locality. During the 2023 judicial-reform protests, commentator Ari Shamai made inflammatory remarks about demonstrators and later called for the release of Yigal Amir, who assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin; Shamai was suspended and the incident prompted calls to withdraw advertising. The channel also faced criticism over an alleged recording of Naftali Bennett broadcast in 2024, which Bennett described as fabricated. During the Gaza war, rights organizations accused the service of airing statements supporting genocide or war crimes and requested formal investigation. These episodes remain part of the public debate over the channel's editorial standards, political influence and regulatory obligations.

• 2021

  Rebrand and move to channel 14

  [1]Channel 14 (Israel)en.wikipedia.org

  The broadcaster won the channel-14 slot and adopted the Now 14 name on 28 November.

• 2018

  Move to Second Authority supervision

  [1]Channel 14 (Israel)en.wikipedia.org

  The Channel 20 Law created a dedicated small-channel license, allowing the service to broaden its programming and launch regular news.

• 2016

  Limited news permission granted

  [1]Channel 14 (Israel)en.wikipedia.org

  Regulators approved restricted news broadcasting within the heritage-channel license.

• 2014

  Channel 20 begins broadcasting

  [1]Channel 14 (Israel)en.wikipedia.org

  Trial broadcasts commenced on 30 June under the Channel 20 identity.

• 2013

  Mirilashvili receives operating license

  [1]Channel 14 (Israel)en.wikipedia.org

  Yitzchak Mirilashvili won the tender and received authorization to operate the channel.

• 2012

  Second tender published

  [1]Channel 14 (Israel)en.wikipedia.org

  A new tender established financial and programming requirements for a dedicated heritage broadcaster.

• 2005

  First heritage-channel tender awarded

  [1]Channel 14 (Israel)en.wikipedia.org

  Hirsch Media Group won the first tender, but the project failed to launch after ownership disputes and economic concerns.

• 1997

  Heritage-channel concept approved

  [1]Channel 14 (Israel)en.wikipedia.org

  A government committee report supported the creation of a commercial television service devoted to Israeli and Jewish heritage.

A commercially operated Israeli news and television brand positioned toward conservative, nationalist and right-wing audiences, with programming centered on news, political debate and commentary.

• Television broadcasting · 2014

  Now 14 television channel

  The core broadcast service, formerly known as Channel 20, offers Israeli news, political analysis, interviews, panel discussions, satire and selected religious or heritage programming. Its output has shifted over time from a narrowly defined Jewish-heritage mandate toward a general news and current-affairs format with a pronounced conservative and right-wing editorial identity.

• Political talk show

  The Patriots

  A panel-based discussion program and one of the channel's most recognizable shows. Journalists, commentators and activists debate political and social issues, frequently responding to material circulating on social media. The format uses timed contributions and a buzzer, giving the program a confrontational and fast-moving discussion style.

• Television news · 2018

  Now 14 evening news

  The channel's principal evening news program, broadcast at approximately 19:50 Israel time. It forms the center of the broadcaster's contemporary news proposition and is presented by Maggie Tabibi according to the available reference material.

• Digital news

  Now 14 digital news site

  The brand's web-based news operation extends Channel 14's television reporting and commentary into digital publishing, live coverage and online video.

• Print magazine · 2021

  Now 14 Magazine

  A monthly printed publication first introduced in July 2021 as 20 Magazine. It was later renamed Now 14 Magazine and serves as a print extension of the broadcaster's news, opinion and political-content ecosystem.

• 2024

  Dispute over Naftali Bennett recording

  The channel aired what it described as an exclusive recording of former prime minister Naftali Bennett discussing whether a Palestinian state could be debated in several years. Bennett denied the interpretation and called the report fabricated.

  Source

• 2024

  Rights groups seek investigation into Gaza-war statements

  Three Israeli civil-rights organizations asked government and broadcasting authorities to investigate statements they said endorsed genocide, indiscriminate killing, mass deportation or starvation in connection with the Gaza war.

  Source

• 2023

  Ari Shamai comments during judicial-reform protests

  Commentator Ari Shamai made inflammatory remarks about opponents of the judicial reform and subsequently called for the release of Yigal Amir, the convicted assassin of Yitzhak Rabin. He was suspended from The Patriots, while protest groups called for an advertising boycott.

  Source

• 2021

  Reporter dismissed after missile-strike remark

  Reporter Kobi Finkler was fired after saying during a live broadcast that a missile had fallen on a soccer field in a large Arab locality and expressing regret that it had not caused mass casualties.

  Source

• 2018

  Interview with convicted school arsonist

  An interview with Yitzhak Gabbai, convicted for setting fire to a Jewish-Arab bilingual school, prompted public condemnation. The channel and interviewer Boaz Golan apologized, and the Second Authority initiated a violation procedure.

  Source

• 2017

  Penalty over exclusion of Reform and Conservative representatives

  The Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Council fined the channel 100,000 NIS after it refused to host representatives of Reform and Conservative Judaism. A subsequent appeal to the Jerusalem District Court was rejected.

  Source

• 2015

  Regulatory penalties over programming outside the heritage mandate

  The channel was fined for broadcasting an election rally and later for airing news flashes before it had full authorization to provide news programming.

  Source

Read more

• 2021

  Move from Channel 20 to Channel 14Strategy

  Background

  Channel position 14 became available after Channel 10 merged with Reshet 13, creating an opportunity for a more prominent national distribution position.

  Action taken

  The broadcaster won the tender and changed its on-air identity to Now 14 on 28 November.

  Aftermath

  Channel 14 became the dominant public shorthand for the service, although Channel 20 remains part of its history and some legacy references.

  Source

• 2021

  Launch of a monthly print magazineProduct launch

  Background

  The broadcaster sought to extend its television identity into a broader news and opinion brand.

  Action taken

  It launched 20 Magazine, later renamed Now 14 Magazine.

  Aftermath

  The publication became a print complement to the channel's television and digital output.

  Source

• 2018

  Expand from heritage programming into newsStrategy

  Background

  The original license imposed a narrow heritage-related programming mandate, while the channel argued that broader news programming was necessary for a viable commercial operation.

  Action taken

  The channel pursued the dedicated small-channel framework, established a news division and began regular news bulletins.

  Aftermath

  The broadcaster moved toward a general news and political-commentary identity and became subject to Second Authority supervision.

  Source

1. 1Channel 14 (Israel)en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Channel 14 official websitec14.co.il