THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Local Newspapers Flourishing in Israel
By SHOSHANA CYNGEL
World Zionist Press Service
JERUSALEM — The
local press is a relatively
new phenomenon in Israel.
About 120 local newspapers
are published at present,
mainly on weekends, in var-
ious Israeli towns and cities.
Dr. Dan Caspi, a lecturer
in the communication de-
partment at the Hebrew
University in Jerusalem,
pioneered research into the
subject. He has studied the
relationship. between Is-
rael's local and national
press and the differences
'.xid similarities between Is-
aeli and American local
newspapers.
The first local paper ap-
peared in 1959 in Eilat, Is-
rael's most southern town,
with a population in those
days of a little more than
5,000 inhabitants. Geo-
graphically, the local Israeli
press emerged in the
peripheral areas. Only later
was it to reach the center of
the country.
Dr. Caspi differentiates
between four develop-
mental phases of the local
Israeli press. "The first
phase was in the years
1959-66. About 10 local
newspapers appeared in
outlying areas. Six local
newspapers, for exam-
ple, appeared in
Beersheva and the south.
Their appearance was
due to inadequate local
coverage by the national
press, creating com-
municative needs to
which the local paper
was a response.
"The second phase was in
the years 1967-73, the time
between the Six-Day War
and the Yom Kippur War,
when Israel flourished eco-
nomically and a process of
population dispersal took
place. The population in the
south, for instance, ex-
panded.
"Economic demands
strengthened the need for
information in these areas.
Businessmen required local
newspapers so as to help
promote their interests.
With this economic prosper-
ity, about 22 newspapers
flourished. Five local news-
papers appeared in the
south, three in the Haifa
region, two in the northern
part of Israel, and about 10
in the center of the land."
"The third phase," con-
tinues Dr. Caspi, "was after
the Yom Kippur War when
economic activity slowed
down and the first signs of
the energy crisis reached Is-
rael. In the national press,
production expenses esca-
lated. Their 'advertising
tariffs increased. A tremen-
dous gap was created be-
tween the national press,
with its higher advertising
tariffs, and the cheaper
rates of the local press.
"Hence many advertis-
ers turned to the local
papers thereby
encouraging the founda-
tion of new regional
newspapers outside Tel
Aviv where nearly all the
national newspapers are
published." (The only
major exception is the
Jerusalem Post).
As for the fourth phase, in
1978 Israeli citizens di-
rectly elected their mayors
for the first time. Politicians
had to be in direct contact
with the public. Naturally a
new communication chal-
lenge appeared in political
institutions and among
candidates for office. Ac-
cordingly, many new local
newspapers were estab-
lished in various regions.
Though some were sus-
tained by politicians, most
were maintained by adver-
tising, according to Dr.
Caspi.
"The economic situation
in Israel worsened," he con-
tinues. "Galloping inflation
and the energy crisis made
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national press advertising
increasingly more expen-
sive. Therefore, as more and
more advertisers turned to
the local press it won new
strength. I know of the es-
tablishment of more than 50
new local newspapers in the
years 1977-80," emphasizes
Caspi.
These newspapers are
largely distributed free of
charge and many close
down within a short span of
time. The municipalities
and other public institu-
tions, as well as local adver-
tising agents, businessmen
and newspaper people, sup-
port them as far as possible.
They include adver-
tisements, locally-
oriented news and fea-
tures, details about
movies and plays, events
in the area, gossip,
sports, school openings,
consumer affairs and let-
ters to the editor. The
writers are not always
professional journalists
and therefore the jour-
nalistic standards are
often lower than those of
the national press.
But in spite of the less
professional character of
part — not all — of the
material, the national press
has been worried by the
economic success of its local
competitors. In the second
half of 1979 a dramatic de-
velopment occurred. The
national press penetrated
the local press business so
as to combat its growing
prosperity. Haaretz, Maariv
and Yediot Achronot, Is-
rael's leading daily and
evening newspapers
founded local newspapers of
their own.
First Haaretz established
a popular local newspaper
in Jerusalem called `Kol
Hair.' Yediot Achronot and
Maariv also founded local
newspapers in Jerusalem,
Haifa and the Tel Aviv
region. According to Dr.
Caspi the success of this
process is still partial be-
cause means are not avail-
able to establish papers in
small towns like Ashkelon
or Kiryat Gat. The local pa-
triotism of Israelis is un-
doubtedly a factor to be re-
ckoned with.
Friday, January 8, 1982 21
"THE CONSPIRACY TO DESTORY ISRAEL"
In October 1981, a local
Israeli newspaper Kol-
Boker, published in Haifa,
became a daily newspaper.
There is also talk of estab-
lishing local radio and tele-
vision stations. But as
everywhere in the news-
paper world, it is economics
which will decide the fate of
local as well as national
papers.
As far as the public is con-
cerned, there can be no
doubt that Israeli readers
welcome local papers, find-
ing them interesting and
worthwhile. They are now
accustomed to enjoying
them regularly. Because
economics dominate the
newspaper world, this in it-
self does not guarantee
their continued progress —
but it may be a vital factor
in shaping future trends.
SHAAREY ZEDEK,
JANUARY 21, 7:50 P.M.
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1 in 2 Religious
JERUSALEM (JTA) —
Less than 50 percent of Is-
raelis describe themselves
as "not religious," according
to a survey published in
Haaretz Sunday.
The survey conducted by
the PORI organization on
behalf of the paper, found
the 12.3 percent of those
interviewed described
themselves as "religious,"
44.2 percent as "tradi-
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religious."
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