IsraelCast Episode 162

Until 2010, Israel did not have any newswires, so most media coverage of Israel came from foreign sources, from AP and Reuters to incredibly biased Palestinian news outlets. This changed with the founding of Tazpit Press Service (TPS), which today remains the only Israeli newswire agency. In its 13 years, TPS has grown exponentially, now reaching over 10 million people worldwide and distributing over 5,000 articles per year. Host Steven Shalowitz sits down with Amotz Eyal, Founder and CEO of TPS, to discuss his motivations behind creating TPS, its growth, and the dangers of news outlets getting international stories from one or two sources.

Amotz Eyal is the Founder and CEO of Tazpit Press Service, the only Israeli newswire agency. Managing 420 citizen volunteers across Israel and ten staff members, Eyal and his team are the official news source for all Israel related content in a growing number of countries around the world. He is also a lecturer at Reichman University and for the past five years has taught the Communications in Conflict Zones course. He also serves as a reserve commander in an elite unit in the Israel Defense Forces tasked with special anti-terror operations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.