Assaf Rappaport Breaks Silence on Reshet 13 Acquisition and Future Strategy
Assaf Rappaport breaks his silence on acquiring Reshet 13, discussing his vision for independent media, business strategies, management changes, and the network's future competition.
Assaf Rappaport is finally speaking out. For the first time since acquiring Reshet 13, the new owner will address all burning issues in a special interview on the program "Pgisha" with Roni Kuban on Kan 11.
This marks Rappaport's first comprehensive interview following brief remarks he made during a meeting with the Kibbutz Movement last May, which were reported by Ran Boker on ynet. At the time, the Reshet 13 owner stated: "The acquisition is a contribution. We will not see fruits from it; the only fruit is enabling free and independent media, free from any government, regime, or stakeholders who control media outlets."
He added: "We will recruit the best people and build the best news company in Israel, one that will be, when necessary, pro-government or anti-government, depending on the matter at hand.
Business Strategy Versus Vision
This stance appears to contrast sharply with the CEO of Merit Fund, the acquisition platform for Reshet 13, who explicitly stated that "Reshet 13 is not a social project" but rather part of Merit's investment portfolio. When asked directly about the public purpose behind the acquisition, he replied: "This is not a project aimed at saving democracy, creating jobs, or promoting any other social cause. It is an investment within Merit's portfolio, aimed solely at generating profits rather than a philanthropic contribution for free media and the defense of democracy."
Regardless of these differing perspectives, Rappaport has already overhauled numerous layers within the network: appointing a new CEO, Idan Alrom, integrating a spokesperson via the Zamir-Darshav group, and replacing veteran reporters and anchors—all while the workers' committee remains relatively silent for now.
Ratings and Future Goals
Since Rappaport's entry, the network's ratings have yet to surge, and management issued a blunt warning following the relative failure of "The Voice," stating that "anyone who doesn't sweat won't be here."
Now, Rappaport will finally articulate his own perspective—explaining why he acquired Reshet 13, his plans for the channel, his outreach to Israel Bidur, and his broader business objectives.
