The international news channel i24NEWS is being broadcast as of today in Israel.
The channel, which broadcasts international news from the heart of the Middle East to the world, recently received Cable and Satellite Council approval to broadcast in Israel.
The English-language channel will be broadcast on Channel 34 and Channel 200 as part of the international news package. The French-language channel will be broadcast on channel 144 as part of the French channel package and the third channel in Arabic will be available soon on channel 174.
In addition, negotiations have begun to broadcast i24NEWS channels with other television providers.
Today the network has about 400 employees, of whom over 200 are journalists worldwide. Since its launch in July 2013, the channel has expanded and established studios in Paris, Los Angeles, and Washington, and a year ago launched studios in Times Square, New York.
The channel broadcasts news 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, with the programming schedule comprised of two prime-time groups: the first according to the European and Middle Eastern time zones, and the second according to the United States time zone. Today the channel is available to tens of millions of households worldwide through the cable and satellite companies. The channel runs a website and a news app that can be viewed in real time with the channel's broadcasts.
i24NEWS CEO Frank Melloul said: "I'm excited to announce that starting today, after five years of anticipation, we're available to watch in Israel. I immigrated with my family to Israel to build i24NEWS, with a vision to launch a channel that will present to the world events in Israel and the Middle East in a fair and balanced manner. Since then, we've grown significantly and today operate all over the world as an international news channel based in the heart of the Middle East, and the channel serves as a symbol of coexistence in the region.
"We've come a long way and established i24NEWS as a reliable, competitive, balanced, and independent news channel. I'd like to thank the founder and owner of i24NEWS, Patrick Drahi, who understands the importance of an independent news network, and I undertake that i24NEWS will remain an independent network. The channel staff will strictly follow the rules of ethics and regulation.
"Now that we've achieved this goal to broadcast i24NEWS in English, Arabic, and French in Israel, it's time to move on to the next challenge: As part of the Minister's reform to open the communications market and allow as many channels as possible to broadcast in a free and competitive arena, it's time to talk about i24NEWS's fourth channel - in Hebrew."