Israel: Two top TV networks to merge

Israel’s antitrust regulator has approved the merger of two major television networks, Reshet and Channel 10, effectively reversing the breakup of ratings powerhouse Channel 2 last year.

The companies’ shareholders asked for permission for the merger in June. It was formally approved by the Antitrust Authority last week.

The move comes only ten months after a government-led major reorganization of the television industry that broke Israel’s most popular channel, Channel 2, into two competing networks run by the two production companies that had previously split the channel between them: Reshet and Keshet. The move was explained by officials at the time as necessary to ensure competition amid the overwhelming ratings dominance of Channel 2.

Full Content: Variety

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