Makor Rishon

Makor Rishon

Makor Rishon, November 25, 2013
Type Daily newspaper
Format tabloid - broadsheet.
Editor Shlomo Ben-Zvi
Founded 1997
Political alignment Right-wing, Conservatism
Language Hebrew
Circulation 21,500 weekday
150,000 saturday edition
Website http://www.jtimes.co.il

Makor Rishon (Hebrew: מָקוֹר רִאשׁוֹן, "primary source") is an Israeli daily newspaper, identified with conservative national and religious values.

It is published in Jerusalem; most of its readership is made up of paying subscribers. During the week, Makor Rishon is published in tabloid format. The weekend edition, published on Friday, is a broadsheet.

The editor-in-chief is Amnon Lord, an experienced Israeli journalist and writer who started his career in the left-wing Peace Now movement, editing its now-defunct weekly Koteret Rashit. Lord changed his views following the Oslo Accords. In Lord's editorials and op-ed articles, there are still frequent expressions of support for Binyamin Netanyahu, evident especially during and following the 2006 elections.

Collapse and Revival

After a financial collapse, the paper was revived in 1999 by Michael Karash and an effort was made to obtain financial stability and an increase in readership. The paper was published in tabloid format with two section inserts, one for political analysis and one for features.

In late 2003, Shlomo Ben-Tzvi's Hirsch Media purchased the newspaper. In 2005, he launched a new format for Makor Rishon: a broadsheet news section, and seven weekly supplements including a political features section, a magazine section, supplements covering economics and sports, a children's magazine, and a large section featuring high culture, literature, and Jewish scholarship. On April 25, 2007, Makor Rishon started publishing daily. At the same time, HaTzofe (also owned by Hirsch Media) stopped publishing its daily edition, becoming instead a weekly religious insert in Makor Rishon.