The Transformation of the Popular Israeli: The Increasing Dominance of Israelis Originally from North Africa and the Middle East

Resourcefulness, advocacy, gratitude: Three ethnic narratives in Master Chef Israel

“…Most participants of minority groups, however, are portrayed in superficial and stereotypical ways and their cultural capital is estimated in references to their dress or location of residence. This is how RTV perpetuates stereotypical images of ethnic and minority groups (Karniel and Lavie-Dinur, 2016). As such, RTV contributes to turning raw experience into a commodified media product by showing the ordinariness of seemingly extraordinary figures, such as exotic subgroups (Deery, 2015).…”

“…Such shows contributed to diversity by promoting the representation of ethnic groups (Karniel and Lavie-Dinur, 2016; Murray and Quellette, 2009) in the production of melodrama that editors shape into narratives (Deery, 2015). Although there are claims that RTV offers viewers real depictions of individuals and issues, it actually shows ordinary people in abnormal situations who know they are being filmed and watched and sometimes are even directed by the production team in advance or manipulated into situations (Deery, 2015; Karniel and Lavie-Dinur, 2016). As such, they may appeal to the audience as cultural oxymora who negotiate and bridge the commercial-hegemonic structure and the gratifications and pleasures of the audience (Neiger, 2012: 536).…”

“…Such shows may lead to the emergence of hybridized culture forms (Stetka, 2012) as contestants instill meanings that counter the intentions of the production team. Furthermore, the shows could empower ethnic and minority groups by increasing their visibility (Karniel and Lavie-Dinur, 2016). Volcic and Andrejevic (2009, 2011), for example, have shown how an RTV program in the nations of the former republic of Yugoslavia, which has ostensibly aimed to reconnect and integrate the citizens of the former republic after the war, has in effect reinforced ethnic tensions and stereotypes that were suppressed during the days of Tito.…”

“…The audience began favoring inarticulate contestants who made grammatical mistakes and came across as warm and sincere, demonstrating the notion of collectivism – a major component of Zionist ideology. The cultural traits of the popular Israeli have become increasingly aligned with what is identified as Mizrahi Israeliness (Karniel and Lavie-Dinur, 2016).…”

The Ever-Changing Meaning of Mass Communications: A Cursory Look at a Journal’s Content

“…It analyzes ways in which the image of the Mizrahi Israelis, previously depicted in popular culture as "weak, unsavory, and an object of ridicule, " has been transformed into "a popular, appealing character that evokes audience identification, as Yuval Karniel and Amit Lavie-Dinur put it" [8].…”