Television screens went dark and radios were silenced at midnight Friday as journalists employed by the State-owned Broadcast Authority began athree day strike for higter wages.
They are demanding immediate negotiations for new contracts to bring their pay in line with that of print journalists. If not satisfied, the newscasters have threatened to black out political broadcasts in the July 23 Knesset election campaign which is expected to be in full swing shortly. They have also threatened, if necessary, to prevent Israeli coverage of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles which begin next month.
The Journalists Association said today that it would take action against newscasters employed by the army radio station which has been broadcasting expanded news bulletins since Israel Radio went off the air. But the Association agreed to brodcatst news briefs over the Sabbath when no newspapers appear.
Israelis were not entirely without entertainment. Television viewers with special antennas watched programs from Jordan and Lebanon. News reports from abroad were relayed by both army radio and Abie Nathan’s “Voice of Peace” ship, the “pirate” radio station anchored off Tel Aviv, just outside territorial waters.
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