Leonard Blavatnik's TV network 'axed show for Benjamin Netanyahu', protesters say

Channel 13 in Israel recently dropped its most-watched programme following leadership shake-up

Sir Leonard Blavatnik at the amfAR Cannes Gala 2023 at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cap d'Antibes, France. Getty Images

Britain’s second richest man is facing protests over claims his media company is undermining the freedom of the press in Israel.

Ukraine-born billionaire Sir Leonard Blavatnik, who was knighted in the UK for services to philanthropy, owns most of Warner Music Group, and has interests in several other businesses, including a majority stake in Channel 13 News in Israel.

The channel, often critical of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and its war in Gaza, last week cancelled popular programme, War Zone, following a leadership shake-up last month that appointed a reported ally of the Prime Minister, Yulia Shamalov-Berkovich, as the next head of its news department.

The move has been criticised by journalists at the channel as “political meddling”, while liberal Israeli newspaper Haaretz describing it as “purely a political decision, contravening all financial and journalistic logic”.

Campaigners, who claim the show was axed for Mr Netanyahu, plan to protest on Sunday at the Tate Modern’s Blavatnik wing and the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A channel critical of his government and its war in Gaza last week cancelled its most-watched programme. Reuters

Writing on X, the group organising the protest, We Democracy, said it is staging the event as a “solidarity move with News 13 journalists and defence of press freedom in Israel” to put pressure on Sir Leonard to “change the improper appointment of Yulia Shmalov-Berkovic as chairman of the channel”.

“Channel 13 cannot be turned into another game tool in Netanyahu's hands,” it said.

Sir Leonard’s stake in Channel 13 is owned by his Access Entertainment business, led by former BBC director of television Danny Cohen.

A representative for Access told The Guardian: “Sir Leonard Blavatnik believes in the importance of press freedom in Israel and across the world. He has invested a significant amount of money in Israel’s Channel 13 to safeguard its existence and secure the future of free, impartial journalism. The Channel has never had a political agenda – as is the law in Israel – and he has never had editorial input.”

“It is categorically not the case that Sir Leonard appointed the CEO of News. The decision as to who runs Channel 13 News is a matter for its independent board on which Sir Leonard has no role. Freedom of expression and informed debate are core values of the channel, and this will always remain the case.”

Sir Leonard is worth £29.24 billion and was brought up in the US, where his parents emigrated when he was a child.

He is a dual US-UK citizen who is a keen supporter of the arts in Britain.

Sir Leonard also gave £75m to the University of Oxford to establish the Blavatnik School of Government, representing the biggest donation in the university’s 500-year history.