Sources inform ''Globes'' that, a week before the ministerial legislative committee will vote on a bill banning freesheets, "Israel Today's" circulation has increased by 50,000 copies.
"Israel Today" is owned by Sheldon Adelson, a very close associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sarah. The freesheet has increased its circulation by tens of thousands of copies in the past week. The print run rose from 255,000 copies last week to 279,000 copies on Sunday, to 291,000 copies on Monday, and to 301,000 copies on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Adelson flew in Israel ahead of the committee meeting on Sunday.
Industry sources wonder whether the increase in circulation is in response to reports in Hebrew dailies "Yediot Ahronot" and "Ma'ariv" about the double bed that Netanyahu ordered for his upcoming trip to France, Canada, and the US.
MK Marina Solodkin's (Kadima) bill, "Prohibition on Distributing Newspapers Free" aims to limit for one year the distribution of national newspapers for free. The objective is to block the distribution of the freesheet "Israel Today", which is considered supportive of Netanyahu.
Netanyahu's aides have recently been lobbying ministers and MKs ahead of next week's vote by the ministerial legislative committee. The aides argue that the bill is illegal, scandalous, and contravenes several basic and other laws. Off the record, Netanyahu aides admit that the campaign against the bill is also against "Yediot Ahronot" and "Ma'ariv", which have not spared embarrassing reports about Netanyahu during his second term.
The ministerial legislative committee will reportedly not approve the bill, following the lobbying by the Prime Minister's Bureau and lobbyists effort against it.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on May 26, 2010
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