Difference between revisions of "Haim Saban"
(→Buying Influence) |
|||
Line 13: | Line 13: | ||
==Buying Influence== | ==Buying Influence== | ||
− | Saban was one of the major contributors to the former California governor Gray Davis, and in return Davis appointed him to the board of regents of the University of California. However, more recently, Saban, along with Steven Spielberg, have shifted their loyalties to Arnold Schwarzenegger after the new California governor's unequivocal support for Israel's latest invasion of Lebanon. {{ref|sfc}} | + | Saban was one of the major contributors to the former California governor [[Gray Davis]], and in return Davis appointed him to the board of regents of the University of California. However, more recently, Saban, along with [[Steven Spielberg]], have shifted their loyalties to [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] after the new California governor's unequivocal support for Israel's latest invasion of Lebanon. {{ref|sfc}} |
Earlier, similar contributions had earned Saban rewards from the Clinton administration: | Earlier, similar contributions had earned Saban rewards from the Clinton administration: | ||
− | :Last September [1999], the [[Federal Trade Commission]] issued a report concluding that broadcasters were targeting violent content to kids, and Al Gore pledged to regulate children's programming unless the industry policed itself. Fox Broadcasting, which has been negotiating to buy out Saban's share of Fox Family Worldwide, joined several companies in agreeing to stop marketing adult-rated movies during TV shows aimed at young viewers. The month the report was released, Saban co-hosted a $3.5 million fundraiser for the Democrats with producer-director Rob Reiner (No. 371, $161,300), Warner Brothers President Alan Horn (No. 139, $290,750), and grocery magnate Ron Burkle (No. 102, $330,000). George W. Bush blasted his opponent for accepting contributions from an industry he had criticized; Gore insisted he was willing to take a stand against his financial supporters. Saban's generosity did not go unrewarded. During the [[Bill Clinton]] administration, the entertainment executive served on the President's Export Council, advising the White House on trade issues. He also took an unusual pride in being a top contributor. When Saban learned that another donor had topped his contributions to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee by a quarter-million dollars, he immediately sent the DCCC a check for $250,000, with a $1 bill attached to it. 'I hope this guy doesn't find out,' Saban told the ''Washington Post''. 'He may send another two dollars.' | + | :Last September [1999], the [[Federal Trade Commission]] issued a report concluding that broadcasters were targeting violent content to kids, and Al Gore pledged to regulate children's programming unless the industry policed itself. Fox Broadcasting, which has been negotiating to buy out Saban's share of [[Fox Family Worldwide]], joined several companies in agreeing to stop marketing adult-rated movies during TV shows aimed at young viewers. The month the report was released, Saban co-hosted a $3.5 million fundraiser for the Democrats with producer-director [[Rob Reiner]] (No. 371, $161,300), Warner Brothers President [[Alan Horn]] (No. 139, $290,750), and grocery magnate Ron Burkle (No. 102, $330,000). George W. Bush blasted his opponent for accepting contributions from an industry he had criticized; Gore insisted he was willing to take a stand against his financial supporters. Saban's generosity did not go unrewarded. During the [[Bill Clinton]] administration, the entertainment executive served on the President's Export Council, advising the White House on trade issues. He also took an unusual pride in being a top contributor. When Saban learned that another donor had topped his contributions to the [[Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee]] by a quarter-million dollars, he immediately sent the DCCC a check for $250,000, with a $1 bill attached to it. 'I hope this guy doesn't find out,' Saban told the ''Washington Post''. 'He may send another two dollars.' |
==Quotes== | ==Quotes== |
Revision as of 16:33, 26 August 2006
Haim Saban is an Israeli-American media-mogul, a staunch Zionist and one of the biggest contributors to the campaigns of pro-Israel politicans in the US. He has also founded various centers and institutions to produce policy research favorable to Israel. He is a financial donor and founder of the Saban Institute for the Study of the American Political System at the University of Tel Aviv. He is a member of the Board of Trustees at the Brookings Institution. In 2002 he pledged $13 million to found the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution."[1]
Citizen Saban
Saban is the founder of Saban Entertainment and Fox Family Worldwide. More recently, he has made significant new gains. In 2003 he bought ProSiebenSat.1, Germany's largest privately-owned television network. [2] In 2006, he acquired Univision Communications, the largest Spanish-broadcasting television company in the US for the price of USD 12.3 billion. [3]
According to the Economist:
- At a broadcasting-industry conference last month in Cambridge, [Saban] not only expressed interest in acquiring ITV, but then went on to accuse the BBC and Sky News, a British satellite-channel owned by Rupert Murdoch, of putting out biased, overly pro-Arab coverage of the Middle East... His audience was left with the impression that this was “a man motivated by editorial concerns, not a businessman,” as one broadcasting executive put it. Officials at Ofcom, Britain's new media regulator, were amazed by what one called his “pig-ignorant” behaviour.[4]
Buying Influence
Saban was one of the major contributors to the former California governor Gray Davis, and in return Davis appointed him to the board of regents of the University of California. However, more recently, Saban, along with Steven Spielberg, have shifted their loyalties to Arnold Schwarzenegger after the new California governor's unequivocal support for Israel's latest invasion of Lebanon. [5]
Earlier, similar contributions had earned Saban rewards from the Clinton administration:
- Last September [1999], the Federal Trade Commission issued a report concluding that broadcasters were targeting violent content to kids, and Al Gore pledged to regulate children's programming unless the industry policed itself. Fox Broadcasting, which has been negotiating to buy out Saban's share of Fox Family Worldwide, joined several companies in agreeing to stop marketing adult-rated movies during TV shows aimed at young viewers. The month the report was released, Saban co-hosted a $3.5 million fundraiser for the Democrats with producer-director Rob Reiner (No. 371, $161,300), Warner Brothers President Alan Horn (No. 139, $290,750), and grocery magnate Ron Burkle (No. 102, $330,000). George W. Bush blasted his opponent for accepting contributions from an industry he had criticized; Gore insisted he was willing to take a stand against his financial supporters. Saban's generosity did not go unrewarded. During the Bill Clinton administration, the entertainment executive served on the President's Export Council, advising the White House on trade issues. He also took an unusual pride in being a top contributor. When Saban learned that another donor had topped his contributions to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee by a quarter-million dollars, he immediately sent the DCCC a check for $250,000, with a $1 bill attached to it. 'I hope this guy doesn't find out,' Saban told the Washington Post. 'He may send another two dollars.'
Quotes
"I'm a one-issue guy and my issue is Israel".
Affiliations
- Saban Center for Middle East Policy - Funder/Founder
- Saban Institute for the Study of the American Political System - Funder/Founder
- ProSiebenSat.1 - Owner
- Univision Communications - Owner
Related Articles
- ^Andrew Ross Sorkin, Schlepping to Moguldom(interview), New York Times, September 5, 2004
- ^Barbarian at the gates?, The Economist, October 2, 2003
- ^ Nimrod Avraham, [Saban buys US TV company http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3268868,00.html], YNet, June 29, 2006
- ^ Tom Chorneau, Is Angelides running out of time, money? Clinton brings in $1 million, but it may not be enough, San Francisco Chronicle, August 11, 2006
- Dan Ackman, Mighty Morphin Haim Saban, Forbes.com, March 17, 2003.