The chairman of the Central Election Commission, Judge Uzi Vogelman, today (Tuesday) banned the broadcast of the “Stand Up Nation” program, with the participation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, due to the fear of banned election propaganda. The Likud party also demanded a ban on the broadcasting of additional entertainment programs with the participation of politicians and Knesset candidates.
Anat Davidov spoke tonight with Adv. Shachar Ben Meir, the petitioner against the broadcast of the program, on her program on 103FM. Among other things, Ben Meir explained the reasons for deciding to file the petition, and also said that in his opinion Network 13 should not broadcast the segment with Netanyahu’s participation on another platform .
“The Electoral Propaganda Law stipulates that election propaganda must not be conducted in collaboration with artists and entertainers,” says Ben Meir. “Netanyahu’s participation in the program is election propaganda in my opinion, and Judge Vogelman accepted it even though he said it was borderline, because he refers there in the same program, according to information given to the judge, to issues on the agenda and the signed vaccines and peace agreements. As part of the election propaganda and therefore he violated the same section of artists and entertainers. “
Ben Meir explained why he advises Network 13 not to broadcast the segment with Netanyahu’s participation on YouTube, Facebook, or any other social platform, and said: “I suggest the network not upload it to any other platform because they will commit a criminal offense. In the 21st Knesset elections, I filed a petition. “She also said that because the law is not being amended, I asked that it contain all the provisions of the law on social networks, and that is how it was determined.”
Lior Schlein, the esteemed entertainment man (back of the nation) and the partner of Labor Party chairman Merav Michaeli, also addressed the issue in an interview with Ben Caspit and Aryeh Eldad on their program on 103FM.
Schlein explained the problematic nature of the broadcast of the segment with Netanyahu’s participation tonight and said: “Netanyahu never agreed to come to a program I did during the election period, because we really asked questions and criticized. “With people criticizing him and asking him questions, it’s an interesting encounter for the viewer. It’s both interesting, both rating, both entertaining and not problematic, certainly not from the court’s point of view. Other encounters do not meet these criteria, so simple.”
Schlein also referred in his remarks at times in which the participation of a senior politician in a talk show is actually legitimate and esteemed, noting the American talk shows: “From Billy Carson from 1962 to 1992 to Saturday Night Live.”