to this day (Limor, 1997, http://www.israel.org/facts/culture/elecmed.html).
Originally, the Ministry of Communications controlled was responsible both for communication policy and for providing Israel's telephone, telex, data and postal services, but in 1984 the government established BEZEQ, or the Israeli Telecom, and since that time the responsibility for the country's communications has been divided between the two bodies. Additionally, in 1988 the Postal Authority was inaugurated, and it was left with the responsibility for policy making; the determination of communications priorities; legislation; and regulation, licensing, spectrum management, and supervision of communications services. At the same time, the government is presently responsible for policy, regulation, development, and modernization of equipment for the provision of public broadcasting services, including the use of satellites. These services are generally provided by BEZEQ, by the Postal Authority, and by entrepreneurs, contractors, and licensed franchisees (israel.org/gov/commpol.html).
Under the Israel Broadcasting Authority Law, the Israel Broadcasting Authority shall broadcast radio and television programs as a public service, and it is required to broadcast educational and entertainment programs as well as information in the areas of social, economic, monetary, cultural, scientific, and arts policy. The Authority is also charged with the responsibility of assuring a broad spectrum of opinion and of transmitting reliable information. Israel Television was founded in 1967, and since that time it has been the country's principal and most influential channel of media communications. Israel Television is a public broadcasting network, and in that capacity it makes certain that most of its schedule- 70 percent on average- consists of original Hebrew language broadcasts on the news, current affairs, sports, and original entertainment produ...