One week after Noam Bettan came in second place in the Eurovision Song Contest, Noel Curran, CEO of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), sent an official letter to MK Hanoch Milwidsky, chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee, expressing “deep concern” over a bill currently under discussion regarding Israel's public broadcasting network KAN.
The bill seeks to abolish KAN's fixed budget, which is currently established by law, and moves instead to place funding decisions under government oversight.
In his letter, Curran warned that reducing KAN’s financial autonomy may erode public trust domestically and weaken the global perception of Israeli broadcasting. Such changes could harm Israel’s democratic image and how its media environment is viewed worldwide.
Curran emphasized that Israel’s membership in the international media community and participation in major events, such as the World Cup, the Olympic Games, and the Eurovision Song Contest, rely on maintaining independent public broadcasting.
He highlighted Israel's recent success in Eurovision as a demonstration of this connection, as it provided positive international visibility for Israel and strengthened its cultural ties to other participating nations.
Curran also expressed appreciation for KAN’s contributions to the EBU, particularly regarding news exchanges with union members and its role in the Eurovision Song Contest.
He stated, "Especially in recent years, KAN has operated under exceptionally challenging circumstances while continuing to provide an essential public service to the audience. Maintaining the conditions that enable independence and autonomy is therefore important not only for the corporation itself but also for preserving the values and partnerships that form the foundation of participation in the international public media community."
EBU targeting KAN in Eurovision?
Earlier this month, KAN faced international criticism after the EBU accused the Israeli broadcaster of violating Eurovision's voting rules. They claimed KAN encouraged the public to vote multiple times for Israeli contestant Noam Bettan.
The advertisement from KAN instructed viewers to vote ten times for Israel and provided instructions on how to cast their votes. Following a warning from the EBU, KAN removed the advertisement. However, Israeli Eurovision fans responded to the EBU's accusations, arguing that Israel was being unfairly targeted.
In a letter to the EBU, fans challenged the allegation that the voting rule was violated by stating, "the EBU's own voting regulations officially allow viewers to cast up to ten votes per user."
The public letter also described the removal of the advertisement as unjustified and labeled it "a case of targeted harassment against the Israeli team to appease external political pressure."