Uvda

Uvda is an Israeli investigative and current-affairs television program hosted by journalist Ilana Dayan and directed by Gilad Tokatly. First broadcast in November 1993, it has covered investigative reports, profiles and exposes concerning Israeli society, public institutions, fraud, corruption and major current events. Over the years, the program became one of the most recognizable institutions of Israeli television journalism.

Uvda’s importance lies not only in its longevity, but also in its place in the history of Israeli broadcasting. It was the only program to air continuously on Channel 2 from the launch of Israel’s commercial television service in 1993. In doing so, it accompanied a formative period in Israeli media and helped make televised investigation a central way for the public to examine social processes, institutions and abuses of power.

Three Decades of Investigative Television

The program first aired through the broadcaster Teled. Ilana Dayan has hosted every season, while the format has combined investigative reports, interviews, personal stories and in-depth features. Uvda did not air during the 2001–2002 season, after Dayan left Teled and Channel 2 to help establish a dedicated news channel. She returned to Channel 2 the following year, and the program aired for one season through the Channel 2 News Company.

Uvda then returned to Teled for two further seasons. When Teled’s Channel 2 franchise ended in 2005, the program moved to Keshet, where it has been broadcast since 2006. Following the split of Channel 2, its 24th season began airing on Keshet 12 on November 9, 2017. Despite these organizational changes, the program retained its central identity: sustained investigative work presented to a broad national audience.

Shaping Public Conversation

Uvda has reported on Israeli social phenomena, fraud, corruption and current affairs. Its work helped establish investigative journalism as a major part of Israeli television culture. By bringing evidence, testimony and complex human stories into living rooms across the country, the program gave sustained public attention to subjects that might otherwise have remained outside the national conversation.

For many years, the Channel 2 News Company produced the program for the various broadcasters. During its 16th season, production moved inside Keshet as the broadcaster sought to strengthen its independent current-affairs operation. Editors who served on the program over the years included Raudor Ben-Zimra, Rami Rothholz, Avi Zilberberg, Avi Barzilai, Natan'el Samrik and Ronen Zaretzky.

Professional Recognition

One of the program’s documentary films, "Kapo", received the 2000 Emmy Award for documentary filmmaking. Uvda also won the Israeli Academy of Film and Television award for Best Current-Affairs or Investigative Program in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2021. In addition, it received the Documentary Creators Forum award for Best Documentary Report in 2018 and 2019.

Why Uvda Belongs in Moreshet

Uvda merits inclusion in Moreshet because it documents a significant chapter in the history of Israeli media, society and public life. For more than three decades, it has brought investigations, testimony and detailed profiles to a wide audience, illuminating issues connected to everyday life, public institutions and the distribution of power in Israel.

The program’s lasting significance also lies in its contribution to journalistic culture. It established televised investigation as a form of serious public work requiring research, documentation, editing and the careful presentation of complicated stories. Preserving Uvda’s history and achievements helps future generations understand how Israeli television developed and how journalism influenced the society it served. For these reasons, the program has a natural place in Moreshet.com, an archive of Jewish and Israeli heritage, institutions and cultural influence.