Tuesday, January 02, 2007

My first news story

Weissmann Feodor (Naor),

OUA ID 88456

Griffith University

CMM18 SEM 4 2006 News & Politics

Assessment Item 2 Media issue news story

Public company issues a statement to the stock exchange confirming ongoing rumors about accusation of it`s control share by a group of investors. About an hour later new press release is issued by both investor and stock owner denying any possible transaction. Strange chain of events, even to oldest of Ehad Ha-Am (Israeli stock exchange location) traders but by itself no enough to make it to front page of a newspaper. There are two small issues though that change the meaning of events completely: the company is "Aksharat Ha-Yeshuv" parent company of Israeli`s second large newspaper "Maariv" and the investor is Arkadiy Gaidamak, Israeli of Russian origin, an oligarch accused in US of illegal diamonds and arms deals.

Arkadiy holds Russian, Angolan, Israeli, Canadian and French citizenships, still a formal adviser to Angola`s Foreign Ministry and was actively involved in Russo-Angolan trade deals in post Soviet era. His controversial past is what some say made him come to Israel just couple of years ago in order to recreate Pluto Sharon`s moves. Pluto, millionaire was wanted by French authorities in connection to frauds, was able to create a reputation for himself by donating large sums of money and establishing charity organizations was elected to Israeli Parliament acquiring prosecution immunity. After acquiring capital`s soccer team - Beitar Jerusalem, personally evacuating citizens from North during Second Lebanese war and funding vacation for terror stroked Sderoth in the south Arkadiy`s popularity rating higher then current PM. Exploiting his rating, Arkadiy announced today, after meeting with ex-PM and opposition leader Benjamin Netaniyahu his support for right wing Likud party still not stating wherever his intentions are to be elected. Arkadiy`s moves to purchase "Aksharat Ha-Yeshuv" follow his bid to acquire 99FM, one of top Israeli radio stations, move that was just recently approved by government jurisdictional adviser. Approval was granted with explicit prohibition to use the station for any type of propaganda. Strong political ambitions, wealth, jurisdictional problems and media acquisitions mix raises a lot of questions among Israelis as for could the Democracy guard dog be used to pull sleigh for controversial figure.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Good words.