The first significant step of the incoming CEO of Network 13, Yoram Altman, to restore the eroded ratings data of the channel: Globes has learned that Meir Kotler, owner of one of the largest artist representation agencies in Israel and one of the most influential figures in the content industry in Israel, will be appointed Deputy CEO of Network 13 And will be responsible for the content area of the channel.
To avoid conflicts of interest, Kotler will go on leave from running his agency and focus on attempts to rehabilitate the channel. During his tenure at Network 13, the firm will be managed by Avital Carmon, Kotler’s partner and the firm’s director.
Kotler, a personal friend of Altman, was “called to the flag” to help build a differentiated content line for Channel 13, after in recent months the ratings of most of his flagship programs – even the most financially invested – eroded to the point of long-term existential danger to the channel’s survival.
There are a number of reasons why the channel has reached this low point, including attempts to “go to the edges” in extreme castings of shows like “Survival” and “Big Brother”; Tuning of all channel leaders to the bottom line; An attempt to maximize every minute of the broadcast – which also led to the stretching of episodes of each show in a way that made it difficult to produce interesting stories; And relatively large amounts of marketing content.
In addition, the channel’s news company is failing to rise, and the ratings data provided by its newscast is an insufficient leap to prime-time programs. These are joined by conflicting management and a change of CEOs – both in the news company and in the channel itself – which have led to a severe feeling of instability that causes talents from all fields not to come to work at the channel.
Four CEOs in three and a half years
It will be recalled that Avi Ben Tal recently retired from the position of CEO of Network 13 after a relatively short term of less than two years. Although Ben Tal had an appointment signed by the chairman of Network 13, Nadav Topolsky.
Ben Tal was an appointment that Topolski believed and promoted himself, but in the end the “affair” did not last, Ben Tal left, and a challenge was created to find a worthy manager for Network 13 who could on the one hand face the challenges and on the other be able to work with a particularly active and dominant shareholder.
Altman’s appointment as deputy CEO of Network 13 – ostensibly until a permanent CEO was found – answered two things: Although Altman did not come from the content field, he set up and ran an independent business operating in the content industry, and mainly worked well with Topolski during his tenure. The channel and its news company.
Altman’s appointment may have been received with a raised eyebrow, but he signaled to the industry that shareholders are looking to enter a new era with “out of the box” appointments. Altman did not deal with content, but the years in which the post house he established operated with most of the large business companies in Israel, created a network of personal connections for business people, advertisers and content people. To many, Altman is perceived as a rough man, but the willingness of a figure of Kotler to enter a senior position on Network 13 is entirely an outgrowth of the connection to Altman.
Not a classic choice for a content appointment
Presumably, like Altman’s selection, Kotler’s selection will surprise the industry greatly, as he is not a classic content man who developed or produced formats, but a man who motivated and promoted talent. But Kotler’s touch in the industry through his representatives and the involvement he had in a variety of projects from different genres is extraordinary.
Kotler’s representatives come from a variety of fields related to media and culture – in television and film – with specializations in professions such as directors, screenwriters, playwrights, journalists and actors.
The experience gives Kotler a broad background and understanding that should dramatically affect the channel’s content management and no less important give legitimacy to various factors in the industry – creators, producers, journalists and actors to call and work with the channel.
Kotler is not supposed to produce content, but to help develop DNA that will characterize the type of content that will be broadcast on the channel and develop a mechanism to manage it. It is enough for one key figure to gamble on his and the new management’s capabilities that are being formed, to perhaps finally produce a turnaround in content quality as well.
Another thing we plan to do on Network 13 to get the channel back on track is to use its international partners. As first revealed in Globes, last year the Discovery Group acquired shares in the channel. Similar to Rainbow 12, Network 13 is setting up a dedicated content arm that aims to market content overseas using shareholders’ international media brands, thereby trying to motivate creators and production companies to work with the channel. Kotler should also be in charge of this area.
Yoram Altman, CEO of Network 13, responded: “I am happy that Meir Kotler agreed to my request to join the senior management team of Network 13 and took on the management of the content arm in Israel and abroad. A lot of work and many challenges ahead. Preserving and strengthening the relationship “Network 13 with creators, talents and production companies is of paramount importance to me. I am sure that Meir’s rich experience, involvement and deep commitment to promoting Israeli art, are assets that will lead the work and creation of Network 13 to new channels.”