Two Israeli newspapers closed this week after attempts to save them through a merger failed. Davar Rishon folded Tuesday, saying that it was unable to attract investors who would keep it in operation.
The Histadrut labor federation founded the paper some 70 years ago as Davar to advance the cause of Zionism.
Facing a suspension of operations last year, the paper re-emerged in a new format under the name Davar Rishon, with veteran journalist Ron Ben-Yishai serving as editor.
The paper announced its own demise Tuesday in a front-page column by Ben-Yishai titled “We Tried.”
Davar Rishon had tried unsuccessfully to merge with the Israeli daily business newspaper Telegraph, which closed Monday after sustaining losses of some $16 million during three years of operation.
Observers attributed the Telegraph’s closure to its failure to draw enough advertisers, especially with the advent of commercial television in Israel, as well as the publication’s inability to carve out a niche in a market already dominated by the other Israeli business paper, Globes.
The two papers decided to close after negotiations with an investor group broke down.
During the past three years, two other newspapers closed: Hadashot, a tabloid, and Al Hamishmar, published by the Kibbutz movement.
Israel now has three major daily newspapers: Yediot Achronot, Ma’ariv and Ha’aretz.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
