Ynet (stylized as ynet) is one of the major Israelinews and general-content websites, and is the online outlet for the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. Most of Ynet's content is original work, published exclusively on the website and written by an independent staff.[1][2]
Ynet launched on June 6, 2000, in Hebrew, following other Hebrew outlet's website launches including Haaretz, Maariv and Globes. According to Globes, the launch of Ynet may have been delayed due to concerns about Ynet cannibalizing the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. The website had 130 staff members, and the original columnists included Ofer Shelah and Gadi Taub. The website's content is separate from the newspaper.[3][4]
In addition, Ynet hosts the online version of Yedioth Aharanot's media group magazines: Laisha (which also operates Ynet's fashion section), Pnai Plus, Blazer, GO magazine, and Mentha. For two years, Ynet had also an Arabic version, which ceased to operate in May 2005. Ynet's main competition comes from Walla! Mako and Nana. Since 2008, Ynet is Israel's most popular internet portal, as measured by Google Trends.[5]
In celebration of Israel's independence day in 2005, Ynet conducted a poll to determine whom Ynet readers consider to be the greatest Israelis of all time.[6][7][8][9][10] The top 200 results were published, with Yitzhak Rabin placing first in the survey, and David Ben-Gurion placing second.[7]
Ynetnews is the English-language website associated with Yedioth Ahronoth, and the HebrewYnet. Ynetnews was established in February 2005 in Tel Aviv, with a staff of nine people. According to Gadi Taub of Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the launch of Ynetnews was a major event in English-language media in Israel. The founding editor of Ynetnews, Alan Abbey planned to focus on American Jews as an audience.[11]
Abbey left in the summer of 2005 to serve as Internet Director for Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem.[12] The current managing editor, Sara Miller, has previously headed the websites of Haaretz English edition and The Jerusalem Post.
Ynetnews' translators and editors provide coverage of news from Israel, Jewish World and the Middle East, based on the reporting and writing from Ynet, Yedioth Ahronoth, and other publications of its parent, the Yedioth Group. It regularly features renowned Yedioth commentators such as Nahum Barnea, Ron Ben-Yishai, Eitan Haber, Smadar Perry, Ronen Bergman, Shimon Shiffer, and Ariana Melamed. It also produces original content and in-depth reporting, commentary and analysis.
