Israeli Daily Yediot Ahronot to Fire Dozens of Journalists, Blames Competitor Adelson

July 30, 2012 11:13 am 1 comment

Sheldon Adelson. Photo: wiki commons.

Yediot Ahronot, one of Israel’s leading newspapers, will be cutting dozens of journalists from its staff in a cost cutting measure that a senior executive is blaming on billionaire Sheldon Adelson’s free paper, Israel Today.

“We’re on the eve of very hard and major cutbacks at Yediot Ahronot, the executive told Globes, an Israeli business publication. “Every part of the group will be affected. This is it; we’ve reached the red line.”

Some of the journalists who will be let go have been with the paper for years, according to the executive, who says that advertising prices are being driven down to unsustainable levels for traditional newspapers, by Adelson’s Israel Today publication.

“You must know that Israel Today is destroying Israeli journalism not only at the professional level, with its embarrassing editorial conduct, but also at the economic level. Israel Today is not managed in an economic way. They are breaking the market with ads at zero cost, and the result is that the other papers cannot survive because the price of ads is constantly falling.”

Adelson, the CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corporation, has been active in the 2012 U.S. presidential election, including providing financial support to Newt Gingrich during the Republican primaries, and now, to Mitt Romney.  Adelson has stated that he is willing to spend $100 million towards preventing President Obama from being elected to a second term.

“Israel Today has finished Ma’ariv’, and it is now finishing Haaretz,” the Yediot Ahronot executive said.  “The fact a billionaire has come here and pours money on to the streets, destroying newspapers like ‘Ma’ariv’ and ‘Haaretz’ is an issue that has not received sufficient discussion. Adelson has simply brought ruin to the Israeli newspaper market, and the Israeli politicians who benefit from its flattering coverage, have allowed this unprecedented phenomenon to occur for partisan reasons, which as I said, has destroyed this market.”

Earlier on Monday, Adelson attended a fundraiser for Mitt Romney, as the presumed Republican nominee for president wrapped up his visit to Israel.

1 Comment

  • Yediot, owned by the Moses family, to which K.M Silvan Shalom is married to the daughter, very wealthy “dynasty” that gave a home to numerous lefty agitators, who lost their charm. It is overwhelmingly biased to the Left and its pages are full of ads. many, wishing to save money, simply check on the news over their IPhone and read the headlines on the “less in depth” Adelson daily! It’s free and easy!

Leave a Reply

Please note: comments may be published in the Algemeiner print edition.


More...

  • Arts and Culture Beliefs and concepts Jewish Presence in Contemporary Art

    Jewish Presence in Contemporary Art

    The Jewish presence and identity in the contemporary world of art is one truly worth noting. At the 3rd annual conference of “Jewish Arts & Identity in the contemporary world” in Baruch College’s Jewish Studies Center, at a panel entitled “Jewish Ways of Seeing: The Visual Arts and the Jewish Tradition”, the Jewish impact on the creative world is exemplified through the discussion of artist Audrey Flack and her various works. Flack was born in 1931 to a fairly Orthodox [...]

    Read more →
  • Blogs Features Black Jazz Musician Encounters Mixed Reactions to Subway Renditions of Hatikvah, Hava Hagila

    Black Jazz Musician Encounters Mixed Reactions to Subway Renditions of Hatikvah, Hava Hagila

    At first you may be skeptical of Isaiah Richardson Jr. He doesn’t look like somebody who would be playing Hava Nagila for passengers waiting for their train in the subway. Firstly, he seems too young,  and secondly, he’s a black kid from the Bronx, dressed sharply, derby hat and all. But when upon meeting Isaiah, the 32-year-old ticked off “Hevenu Shalom Aleichem,” “Bashana Haba’ah,” and “Zum Gali Gali” as some of his favorite songs to play passing crowds, I knew [...]

    Read more →
  • Blogs Music Mother’s Day Performer Blends Israeli Independence and the Jewish Side of Verdi

    Mother’s Day Performer Blends Israeli Independence and the Jewish Side of Verdi

    This Mother’s Day, the music of opera singer Sharon Azrieli Perez will integrate the varied threads that have made up the fabric of her life. Perez, in a Mother’s Day concert May 12 at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, will weave a musical experience that brings together intimations of Israeli independence, Giuseppe Verdi’s use of Jewish melodies, medieval Ladino music, and modern Jewish show music. These musical elements are particularly personal for Perez, whose Juilliard education has [...]

    Read more →
  • Blogs Jewish 100 Social Harvey Weinstein to Elie Wiesel: Without You There Would be no ‘Schindler’s List’ (VIDEO)

    Harvey Weinstein to Elie Wiesel: Without You There Would be no ‘Schindler’s List’ (VIDEO)

    Famed film producer Harvey Weinstein presented Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel with the Algemeiner newspaper’s ‘Warrior for Truth’ award at its recent star studded 40th anniversary ‘JEWISH 100’ Gala. “My mother, the Miriam of Miramax […] was so thrilled when she heard that I was presenting to Professor Wiesel,” Weinstein said as he called on the professor to accept the award. “I am happy to be here on the Algemeiner’s 40th anniversary and to celebrate their top 100,” Weinstein added. Commenting [...]

    Read more →
  • Israel Sports Israeli Soccer Star Victim of Anti-Semitic Abuse on Twitter

    Israeli Soccer Star Victim of Anti-Semitic Abuse on Twitter

    Israeli soccer star Yossi Benayoun, who currently plays for FC Chelsea in the English Premier League, was recently the victim of anti-Semitic abuse on Twitter. After thanking his Twitter followers for sending him birthday wishes, Benayoun, who many consider to be the greatest Israeli soccer player ever, was sent the following message: “f***in Jew a**hole.” Benayoun posted a response, saying, “Some nice people in the world.” His team has called on the police to investigate the matter, according to the Britain’s [...]

    Read more →
  • Arts and Culture Blogs Gary Baseman and The Jewish Home “The Door Is Always Open”

    Gary Baseman and The Jewish Home “The Door Is Always Open”

    This weekend, a retrospective of the works of Gary Baseman titled The Door Is Always Open, opened, at the Skirball Cultural Center. ‘Door’ recreates the artists’ childhood home filled with famous Baseman characters and Jewish subjects peppered about. Baseman has had a long and successful career with iconic characters and big clients to fill his CV, but recent works are the first time he is dealing directly with his Jewish identity and the value that it holds for him now. [...]

    Read more →
  • Blogs Jewish 100 Social Algemeiner ‘JEWISH 100′ Gala: Album 2 – Program, Speakers and Awards (PHOTOS)

    Algemeiner ‘JEWISH 100′ Gala: Album 2 – Program, Speakers and Awards (PHOTOS)

    Read more →
  • Israel Sports Israel’s National Hockey Team Wins World Championship in Turkey Tournament

    Israel’s National Hockey Team Wins World Championship in Turkey Tournament

    Israel’s national ice hockey team struck gold at the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division II Group B, which was a surprise considering that they entered the tournament in Izmit, Turkey as an unknown entity and the second-lowest ranked team. The squad will move up to the top tier Group A following wins over China (6-3), Turkey (5-3), New Zealand (3-2) and Bulgaria (13-2). “Overall we played really well and disciplined, and the first four games were extremely pleasant [...]

    Read more →
Sign up now to receive our regular news briefs.