Israeli Power in International Sales of Series and Television Shows

Israel, which acquired a television network less than fifty years ago, much later than Iran and many other countries, has recently become an international power in selling series and television shows, particularly to the United States. Israel, which had one television network for 25 years and only opened its second network in 1993, was significantly behind Iran, which had multiple television networks for several decades, in producing films, series, and television entertainment, primarily consuming productions from the US and UK. However, in recent years, Israel has not only compensated for this lag but has also generated substantial income through the sale of its rights. The number of television and radio networks in Israel, a country with only eight million Jewish and Arab inhabitants, is still not high, but its film, series, and entertainment companies have managed to attract the attention of American producers with innovations, especially in film topics. The limited budgets that Israelis have for producing films and series have pushed them towards creativity in themes, which is considered a strength of these films and series. Francesca Orsi, an HBO executive, recently stated in an interview with the Jerusalem Post that the 'boldness' and 'simplicity' of Israeli series are significant reasons for attracting American producers. According to the Jerusalem Post, Hollywood film and series companies, as well as major American television networks, have purchased rights to an increasing number of innovative Israeli series and shows in recent years. Americans do not simply copy Israeli films and shows; they 'Americanize' them. The highly viewed HBO network recently greenlit the purchase of rights and the creation of an American version of the Israeli series 'Euphoria,' produced by the Israeli company Hot. HBO also created the popular series 'In Treatment' based on the Israeli series 'BeTipul,' which aired for three seasons and won Emmy and Golden Globe awards for Best Series. A turning point in the attention of wealthy American networks to Israeli series was recorded in 2010 when the Israeli series 'Hatufim' (Kidnapped) produced by the Israeli company Keshet became the basis for the American series 'Homeland,' which began airing in 2011 and has been presented in seven seasons so far. The Israeli series 'Fauda,' which first aired its trailer in 2015, with compelling political and military themes, was purchased in 2016 by Netflix, one of the most powerful and wealthiest film companies in America and the world, to be 'Americanized.' Some Israelis have expressed dissatisfaction with the American version of 'Fauda,' accusing Netflix of adding too much anti-Israeli flavor; Netflix has denied these complaints. Netflix has also acquired the rights to two other Israeli series, 'Hostages' and 'Mossad 101,' both of which have political, military, and intelligence themes. Terrorism, which had primarily affected Israel until recently, has impacted lives worldwide in recent years, and one reason Hollywood is interested in Israeli films is the themes related to terrorism and the tense lives of people under constant terror and fear. The Israeli series 'Hamidrasha' in Hebrew apparently reflects some activities of the Mossad, the country's intelligence agency, and the internal relationships of its agents. The series, which has been praised in Israel, has been named 'Mossad 101' in its American version. However, it is not just about war and intelligence; some complexities of Israeli society and Judaism, such as the lives of ultra-Orthodox Jewish families, have garnered significant attention from Americans, as depicted in the captivating series 'Shtisel' and 'Srugim.' The American version of 'Srugim' has been airing for years under the name 'Dovlat Love' on Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu, and now the new series 'Shtisel' is set to be Americanized. Channel Four in England has also produced the series 'Beauty and Baker' based on the rights of the Israeli series 'Lechiyot Ita' and is airing it on Amazon; Hulu has also Americanized and produced the series 'False Flag' based on the Israeli series 'Kfulim.' According to the Jerusalem Post, five senior officials from American networks HBO, Fox, and Turner recently attended a rare event at the YMCA building in Jerusalem to examine the powerful impact of Israel on television. Leaders of major Israeli television production companies, such as Keshet, Reshet, Yes, and Hot, were also present at this meeting to sign profitable contracts with these well-known and wealthy American companies through these interactions.