Representatives of hostage families from the Tikva Forum and bereaved families from the Heroism Forum sent an unusual letter Sunday to the CEOs of Channel 13 and public broadcaster Kan, demanding they cancel scheduled reality TV programming for the evening.
The appeal came on the heels of a nationwide “Day of Disruption,” which included strikes, demonstrations and blockages across Israel, held in support of the hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza. The families asked the broadcasters to also show solidarity with the captives.
In their letter to Channel 13 CEO Emiliano Calemzuk and Kan CEO Golan Yochpaz, Tikva Forum chair Dr. Tzvika Mor and Heroism Forum chair Yehoshua Shani accused the networks of actively encouraging the day’s strikes and disruptions by portraying them as legitimate protest for the hostages.
“Throughout the day you covered, encouraged and expressed support for strikes, disruptions and public disorder, claiming it was necessary to express solidarity with our brothers held in Hamas tunnels,” they wrote.
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PRotesters in Tel Aviv call for the release of all of the hostages
(Photo: Dana Koppel)
The families called on the broadcasters to prove that solidarity is not “just a slogan” by canceling their reality shows scheduled for the evening: Big Brother on Channel 13 and Four Weddings on Kan 11.
“With this act, you will show that you too, like the citizens of Israel, are willing to pay the heavy price of losing ratings and the economic loss involved, for the hostages and for the solidarity you have preached this past week,” the letter said.
Neither Channel 13 nor Kan has yet responded.