Times of Israel

Times of Israel
Biosketch · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Times of Israel
Type	Online newspaper
Founded	2012
Founder	David Horovitz
Headquarters	Jerusalem
Language	English, Hebrew, Arabic
Editor	David Horovitz (founding editor)

Times of Israel is an online news media outlet founded in 2012 that covers events and analysis related to Israel, the Middle East, and Jewish affairs worldwide. It reports on diplomacy involving United States foreign policy, regional relations with Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the Palestinian territories, while covering cultural topics linked to Jewish diaspora communities in cities like New York City, Paris, and London. The site operates alongside other regional outlets such as Haaretz, The Jerusalem Post, Yedioth Ahronoth, and international competitors including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Reuters.

History

The outlet was launched amid global debates sparked by events like the Arab Spring, the Gaza War (2014), and negotiations such as the Iran nuclear deal framework; its founding followed media trends set by legacy publications like The Guardian and digital pioneers such as HuffPost and BuzzFeed. Early coverage intersected with major incidents including the 2014 Gaza conflict, the Second Intifada, and diplomatic episodes like the Camp David Accords anniversaries. It developed during a period when outlets such as Bloomberg, Al Jazeera, BBC News, and CNN International expanded online presence, prompting investments in multimedia reporting, social platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and syndication networks linked to AP and AFP.

Ownership and Management

The founder and early editor emerged from backgrounds connected to established media figures and institutions such as The Jerusalem Post and academic links to Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Ownership involved private stakeholders comparable to proprietors of The Economist Group or family-owned outlets like The Wall Street Journal’s historical families. Management implemented editorial structures influenced by models seen at Nieman Foundation, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and digital strategies similar to Vox Media and Politico. Executive decisions intersected with corporate governance topics familiar to entities such as Conde Nast and News Corp subsidiaries.

Editorial Stance and Coverage

Editorially, the outlet positioned itself among voices that engage with perspectives represented by Likud, Israeli Labor Party, Meretz, and centrist formations like Kadima and Yesh Atid, while also providing platforms for commentators aligned with AIPAC, J Street, and other advocacy groups. Coverage frequently addresses controversies surrounding settlement policy in the West Bank, security incidents tied to Hezbollah, strategic postures regarding Syria, and legal matters involving the Israeli Supreme Court. Opinion pages host writers whose backgrounds include ties to institutions such as Tel Aviv University, Bar-Ilan University, Brookings Institution, and American Enterprise Institute, reflecting a spectrum comparable to contributors seen in Foreign Affairs and The Atlantic.

Website and Digital Features

The website offers sections comparable to digital divisions at The New Yorker and Financial Times, including news, opinion, culture, and liveblogs for events like elections in Israel, flotillas associated with Gaza, and peace talks resembling Oslo Accords negotiations. Interactive features echo tools developed by organizations like ProPublica and mapping services akin to Google Maps integrations for coverage of incidents near Gaza Strip crossings and West Bank checkpoints. Multimedia includes photo essays referencing archives like those at Getty Images and video interviews produced in formats similar to Vox and Vice News. Syndication and API strategies mirror practices by The Associated Press and content partnerships comparable to those between NPR and regional outlets.

Audience and Readership

Its readership spans audiences in Israel, the United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Australia, overlapping with diaspora communities in Buenos Aires and Moscow. Demographics resemble subscribers to outlets such as The Jewish Chronicle, Tablet Magazine, and Forward (newspaper), attracting policymakers, academics from institutions like Princeton University and Hebrew University of Jerusalem, journalists from The Times (London), and diaspora leaders affiliated with organizations such as World Jewish Congress and Jewish Agency for Israel. Traffic patterns and analytics employ services similar to Google Analytics and distribution through newsletters echoing models used by Axios and The Daily Beast.

Awards and Recognition

Reporting and opinion pieces have been cited in contexts alongside awardees of the Pulitzer Prize, Israel Prize laureates in media studies, and journalism recognitions akin to those given by Reporters Without Borders and Committee to Protect Journalists. Investigations and features have been referenced in academic work published by presses like Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press, and in policy analyses by think tanks including RAND Corporation, Chatham House, and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Category:News websites