35 Washington Avenue
Tel Aviv
Israel
- Media
Social TV (ISTV) is an independent, non-profit media organization that engages the Israeli and international public through thought-provoking, critical video articles on complex social issues across Israel and Palestine. We disrupt the status quo by producing and distributing video articles that offer the public an up-close, unseen view of social phenomena that the Israeli mainstream media refuses to cover. Social TV has three employees, several freelancers, and volunteers. We are generously supported by several international Foundations and Organizations in the fields of human rights and media, and work in tandem with other human-rights organizations in Israel/Palestine. Our annual budget is in the area of £234,000.
Social TV exists as both a stage and microphone for those most affected by issues of poverty, the occupation, militarism, and more. Our hard-hitting video articles facilitate discourse on the intersection of various systems of oppression and the unjust social order that thrives within Israel. Social TV is proud to mobilize everyday people into activists and change makers. We reframe complex social phenomena of Israel and Palestine into accessible video articles--providing critical analyses as opposed to one-sided narratives perpetuated by Israeli mainstream media. Our team of activists believe that alternative media is a tool of progressive struggle--necessary for awakening public consciousness and radical social change. We mobilize everyday people into activists and change-makers. In 2020, our video articles reached 4,000,000 exposures and 25,000 direct interactions with viewers. Our main focus is on democratic values and human rights, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, poverty and food insecurity, and other social issues in Israel/Palestine.
In the coming year of activity (2022) we intend to deal with four core issues: Militarism in Israeli society; Poverty, hunger, and food insecurity in Israel; Hope Hub: Rewriting a Jewish/Palestinian Narrative in Shared Cities Through Media; and a sequence of current articles on core issues.
Social TV is undergoing an organizational renewal. Going forward, one of our primary organizational goals is to motivate language-based solutions and emotional, human, authentic reflection in the context of relationships between Jewish-Israelis and Palestinian citizens of Israel in Israel/Palestine. In May and April of 2021, Israel’s shared/”mixed” cities saw widespread clashes between Palestinian citizens of Israel and Jewish-Israelis--the most violent outbreak in two decades. Understanding that we can no longer neglect addressing the long-standing tensions, Social TV, drawing on its expertise in telling complex stories and our close relationships with activists on the ground, created Hope Hub. Behind our expertise are proven methods that produce multi-layered content based on limited staff alongside and mostly volunteers. Our resume attests to our ability and experience in training hundreds of social activists as independent video reporters, as demonstrated by our successful ‘Peace Journalism’ program in conjunction with the European Union and Adam Institute. We believe we can contribute to the Network in Israel/Palestine by sharing our vast experience with partner organizations and collaborating with others to create
Because of our 15 years of experience leading the production of video articles promoting human rights, equality, and peace in Israel, we believe joining the ALF Network would allow us to continue learning and tailoring our projects to extend our reach to our intended audience. Hope Hub is a process that is unique, innovative, and the first of its kind. No other organization has the same ability to carry out a project that brings together elements of videography, complex-storytelling, narrative building, and direct involvement of activists. To the best of our knowledge, there exists no other project which builds joint narrative through video production as a tool for creating a model of shared life. Social TV is uniquely qualified to carry out such a project given our 15 years of experience leading in the production of video articles promoting human rights, equality, and peace in Israel.