SBS Hebrew program falls silent
"I felt bullied and deeply shaken when my integrity as a journalist was questioned for conducting important interviews with pro-Jewish perspectives," says Amit Rehak
For the first time in its almost 50-year history, the Sunday SBS Radio Hebrew Program – including its one-hour English “Shalom Australia” component – is in recess into its third month.
The pause began on August 18, a week after the program’s producer Amit Rehak – who has worked at SBS for 12 years – felt compelled to resign, following what he claimed were multiple unjustified restrictions placed upon his work.
He’d received two letters from management alleging he’d breached editorial guidelines in three stories that contained pro-Israel perspectives – which were then partially or fully removed from the program’s website.
A 15-minute interview with highly respected British Colonel Richard Kemp – who spoke highly of the professionalism of the IDF – was fully removed from the website, while several quotes from a May 20 interview with Combat Antisemitism’s director of European affairs, Oriana Marie Kruger – including her view that Israel was being demonised – were removed.
Rehak applied for the role of the program’s permanent executive director the day after it was first advertised by SBS in May this year – more than eight months after long-term producer Nitza Lowenstein retired – but was denied even an interview.
He told The AJN, “I felt bullied and deeply shaken when my integrity as a journalist was questioned for conducting important interviews with pro-Jewish perspectives.”
Rehak claimed an interview he’d recorded in July with Sydney’s Zach Shachar (Tzachi Shahar) – a cousin of 19-year-old Israeli Na’ama Levy, who remains a hostage in Gaza – was prevented from going to air.
The AJN understands he was told by his program manager not to broadcast or upload the interview, and had marked sections of the transcript as “offensive” parts that should be removed.
Rehak told The AJN, “As far as the Jewish community is concerned, this must be the most insulting and unjustified censorship ever to take place in Australian media.”
He also claims that in July, his program manager did not allow him to interview an Australian-Israeli IDF reservist who was in Thailand during a break from service, and whose grandfather in Melbourne is a Holocaust survivor.
Dr Ran Porat – a researcher at Monash University’s Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation and a former SBS employee – told The AJN he is “appalled, shocked and angered” about the program being off air and the allegations against Rehak.
He described Rehak as “a very experienced and professional journalist”, adding that if any of his work had been censored by SBS, “this is how you shut up free speech”.
“There would be far worse issues possibly plaguing other SBS Radio [language] programs than these false allegations against Amit,” Porat said.
“I am under the impression that somebody who is not a fan of Israel was pressuring SBS management … and they have turned against a professional employee.”
Long-time listener of the program, Melburnian Peter Young, told The AJN, “It was always an informative program, especially with the reports coming in from Peta [Jones Pellach] from Jerusalem.
“It’s a pity SBS has succumbed to such a state of affairs.”
SBS said on Tuesday a new permanent Hebrew Program executive producer had started, and the program “will resume its regular radio timeslot of Sundays from 11am to 1pm, and online, from November 24”.
An SBS spokesperson claimed that Rehak’s resignation, “was related to a serious employment matter, rather than any editorial issues”.
“The Colonel Kemp and Marie Kruger stories were reviewed after publication, and edited or removed, as they did not meet our editorial standards of balance and impartiality.
“The Tzachi Shahar interview did not air because Mr Rehak had not completed the story at the time of his resignation … SBS intends to complete this piece when the program recommences.”
In relation to the Israeli-Australian IDF reservist, an SBS spokesperson said, “Mr Rehak did in fact record this interview in July, which was still pending publication at the time of his resignation.”
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