Channel 13 (Israel)


Channel 13, formally known as Reshet 13, is an Israeli free-to-air television channel owned by RGE media group and Reshet. It was launched on 1 November 2017 as one of two replacements of the outgoing Channel 2.

History

Israel's Channel 2 was operated by the Second Authority for Television and Radio, but was programmed by two rotating companies, Keshet Media Group and Reshet. As part of a larger series of reforms to Israel's broadcast system to increase diversity and competition, Channel 2 was shut down, and both broadcasters were granted their own, separate channels. Reshet 13 officially launched on 1 November 2017, alongside Keshet 12. The Israel Television News Company continued to provide news programmes for both channels; the main primetime bulletin is simulcast by both channels, while other programs are divided among the two channels.
In June 2018, due to financial issues caused by the 2017 Channel 2 split, RGE filed a merger with this channel's parent company Reshet. In October 2018, Reshet announced that the merger had cancelled. Reshet's owners have since reconsidered the merger, and after a long battle with the Second Authority, the merger was approved, and was scheduled for January 16, 2019. The merger saw certain programmes previously shown on Channel 10 moved to Reshet 13, which subsequently changed its name to channel 13, with the new slogan "everything connects".

Programming

News

Being one of two direct replacements of Channel 2, Reshet 13 have broadcast news programmes produced by Israel Television News Company, a company Reshet jointly owned with Keshet.
Following the merger between Reshet and Channel 10, Reshet 13 took resources and programmes from Channel 10's news production company, which then changed on-air branding to HaHadashot 13. Reshet sold its stake in the News Company to Keshet.