$$News and Reports$$

Feb. 11, 2014
 

 

Prof. Amit Schejter of the Department of Communication Studies has been appointed by Communications Minister Gilad Erdan to head a new committee tasked with developing regulatory recommendations for the burgeoning audiovisual market. The advent of fiber-optic cables capable of transmitting audiovisual content over the internet will change the broadcast market in Israel as we know it.

Schejter’s committee will propose a regulatory framework that will allow the transition of the existing broadcasting market into the new era as well as the introduction of new service providers. It will also be charged with proposing the structure of the oversight bodies of the audiovisual market. A major challenge for the committee will be the safeguarding of the current levels of investment in original Israeli audiovisual productions. Recommendations are to be submitted by August. 

Schejter is associate professor of communications at BGU and at Penn State University where he serves as co-director of the Institute for Information Policy. He is founding co-editor of the Journal of Information Policy, a former director of legal affairs and international relations for the Israel Broadcasting Authority and former vice president for regulatory affairs at Cellcom Israel. 

The 10 other committee members include: Prof. Sam Lehman-Wilzig who is slated to become the director of Bar-Ilan University’s School of Communication; Dr. Tehila Schwartz-Altshuler a senior researcher at the Israel Democracy Institute; Dr. Dalia Zelikovich, a member of the Second Authority for Television and Radio Council and an expert on the internet economy; Rami Shalmor, a former senior public relations professional; Itai Eiges, former dir.-gen. of the Tourism Ministry; Ofer Shani, internet industry pioneer, founder of netking; Herzl Makov, member of the Satellite and Cable Council and head of the Menachem Begin Heritage Center; Dr. Gali Einav, a lecturer at IDC Herzliya and former Director of Digital Insights and Innovations Research at NBC Universal; Dorli Almagor, former legal advisor of the Cable and Satellite Broadcast Council; and Eyal Meluban a member of the Second Authority for Television and Radio Council with a rich history in media production.