Communications Bill Advances to Final Votes After Government App Clause Is Removed

A special Knesset committee approved the Communications (Broadcasting) Bill for its second and third readings after voting on more than 400 objections. The revised measure removes the proposed government app that would have offered news channels free of charge, following Haredi parties’ concerns that it could operate on Shabbat and carry content they considered immodest. The bill keeps the Idan+ broadcast platform and funds its NIS 25 million operating cost from the public broadcaster’s budget. It also creates a new broadcasting council, funded with another NIS 25 million from that budget.