Israel Shuts RAM-FM Jerusalem Studio

Talk Radio 702 today reported that Israel has closed down the Jerusalem office of the 702 styled radio station RAM FM. RAM FM has stations in both Ramallah and Jerusalem. (The station continues to broadcast from their Ramallah station. Reports off the wires said that they are still broadcasting from Ramallah, but 702 news says that they are totally off air.)

Primedia (702’s holding company) CEO Issie Kirsch billed Ram FM as an Israeli version of Talk Radio 702 and hoped that it could provide a forum for debate between Israelis and Palestinians.

Israel claims that the reason for the lockdown is because the station was operating without the required broadcasting permits. According to the Jerusalem Post, a Communications Ministry Spokesperson said that the broadcasts were interfering with air traffic communication. He added that “every pirate station that lacks the proper license is closed in this manner”.

Kirsch has previously stated that it took a long time to get through all of the beaurocratic red tape. RAM FM contend that they do have the required permits. Speaking on 702 today their station manager claimed that they haven't received any warnings from Israel urging them to stop broadcasting.

I hope Israel explains the heavy handed nature of the clampdown. Seven people working at the Ramallah station were arrested and were detained overnight. South African journalist Mark Klusener was handcuffed and shackled and is now under house arrest. Bail has been posted at a whopping 25 000 Shekels (about R53 000).

Reuters reports that Israel says it has been trying to clean up broadcasting frequencies. Pirate stations have been accused of interfering with air traffic control radios at the country's main airport.

Israel's Foreign Press Association has called for the immediate release of the detained RAM FM employees.

Update

702 evening news ran a statement from a senior reporter at RAM FM who said that this is purely a legal matter and is not a political matter.

Comments

[soccerdad]

Israel did the same thing with Arutz-7, for the same reasons.

[Brett]

This is totally legal

Fistly, those that would have followed Israeli news in the past few months would have seen that pirate radio stations are causing big problems, especially with aircraft.

Secondly, RAM's content is not political

Thirdly, it was widely known that RAM did not have a braodcasting licence - thats why they went to Ramallah in the first place.

They are probably the most popular pirate station and this was bound to bring attention to their legitimacy

[Anon]

Sounds like they could have dealt with this differently. Issuing a warning prior to raiding, handcuffing and shackling the staff would have been better.

[mike]

It’s hard to speculate when you don’t have all the facts at our disposal. I can not comment whether RAMFM is or isn’t acting as a pirate station. It is an important point though that initially they we not granted a license in Israel. I would like to try understand why this is the case. It would also be interesting to know who is responsible for issuing licenses in the PA and if a station in Jerusalem is covered by PA as opposed to Israeli law.

All that said even if they are acting outside the law, the manner in which Israeli police have behaved seems extreme. I am no expert on Israeli police conduct but it would be interesting to find out if this is common practice.

As you all know I was very skeptical about RAMFM. But I never in my wildest dreams imagined it would end like this.

[Gary]

Anyone who was silent about the shutting down of Arutz Sheva but is all hyped up about the shutting down of Ram-FM is a HYPOCRITE!

[Lawrence]

something I should point out about RAM, it is or was to a degree a political station, although popular for its music. In fact to be brutally honest it's a station propogating PC Leftist blather, Israel-hating and endless apologetics for Muslim radicalism, terrorist denying gibberish. Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fatah extremism doesn't really exist to these guys. If the Palestinians choose extremism then it's all our fault for not appeasing them enough and giving up more land in return for empty promises and blabla.

I know this, I live in Israel and have heard their broadcasts...awful lying political garbage.

[mike]

Lawrence u cant just close a station down because u dont agree with its political point of view.

[Lawrence]

oh for crying out loud Mike I never said that's why the station should be closed down or that's why the station was closed down. It wasn't - it was closed down for not operating with a proper license and potentially interfering with radio frequencies for air traffic control.

Sheesh - just thought that I would point out that the station was broadcasting pathetic dhimmi capitulate-and-surrender-to-terrorist propoganda, which it was.

I never wrote that that was grounds to take them off air, for crying out loud. And to emphasise the point, this is not why they were taken off air, after all their views are no different to the idiots at Ha'Eretz.

[Akiva]

Below is not related to RamFM using illegal frequences affecting Ben Gurion Airport --- there was an entry in jewish Report mentioning SAJBD investigating anti-semitic content on one of the 702 programmes.Does anyone have any further info?

[Steve]

Lawrence...in other words RAM FM is just like 702? lol

On that note as an asie, this morning on 702 John Robbie was condemng the deputy minister of safety and security in SA for urging our cops to "shoot to kill". It came after a cop tried to stop thugs blowing up an ATM and then came up against heavy fire from the criminals. How can any South African condemn a statement like that. The DA also condemend it - makes me want to not vote for them in fact.

Akiva, its about a talk show that took place two weeks ago in the evening. I didnt hear it. Apparently there was vicious anti-Jewish statements coming from Muslim callers and the talk show host (dont know who) allowed the callers to make their statements unchallenged.

I will try find out more.

[Gary]

Makes you not want to vote for the DA Steve?
That's OK.
There is another very good choice which not enough people consider. There is the IFP.