Israel’s future in Eurovision at risk; government approves privatization of public broadcaster

Israel is at serious risk of being excluded from the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) starting in 2026. The government of the country has approved the move to privatize the public broadcaster KAN.

A bill approved by the Ministerial Committee last Sunday proposes privatizing the company and cutting its funding from the state budget. The responsibility for its operation would therefore be transferred to private entities.

The Israeli government argues that KAN’s current production does not justify state funding, and the bill stipulates that the sale process will begin in the coming days. The privatization would affect both radio and television networks.

There are two possible outcomes: either KAN is sold to private investors, leaving Israel without a public service broadcaster by the end of 2025, or no buyer is found, and the broadcaster will be shut down.

With privatization, KAN is expected to exit the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). However, the EBU has strict rules that allow private broadcasting companies to become members.

For a broadcaster to join, it must be national in scope, with coverage across the entire country (available in at least 98% of households), adhere to ethical standards, be under the supervision of a regulatory authority, and offer varied and balanced programming (including daily news broadcasts).