Tazpit Press Service, also known as TPS-IL, is an independent news outlet in based in Israel. ¹ Amotz Eyal is the CEO and founder of the outlet, which it claims reaches more than 10 million people per day across the world and annually provides more than 15,000 images and videos, and about 5,200 articles. ^{2 3}

The agency’s content is distributed to more than 2,700 media outlets in the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, France, Norway, Finland, Australia, Romania, Azerbaijan, and North Macedonia. ⁴

Background

Tazpit Press Service, also known as TPS-IL, is an independent news outlet based in Israel. The organization provides materials about the State of Israel for use by local and international media organizations. ¹

In 2024, Tazpit Press Service claims to have roughly 420 volunteer journalists across Israel and 10 paid staffers. TPS-IL also claims its content reaches around 10 million people worldwide, with about 5,200 articles per year. ^{5 3} The TPS-IL provides photos, videos, and a searchable bank of 50,000 photos and 2,000 videos. ⁶

Tazpit Press Service content is distributed to more than 2,700 media outlets in the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, France, Norway, Finland, Australia, Romania, Azerbaijan, and North Macedonia. ⁴

The organization provides production services for media clients that include day trips for journalists through Israel and meetings with Jewish and Arab residents, as well as documentaries .⁷

The organization claims its four guidelines are: “projecting the true Israeli reality by providing accurate and un-biased information,” encouraging “citizen journalism,” exposing “corrupt and false narratives” about Israel, and “training the next generation of independent journalists.” ⁸

Content Sharing Partnerships

Tazpit Press Service partners with several news outlets around the world. These include Europa Press in Spain; WAM in the United Arab Emirates; AZERTAC in Azerbaijan; AGERPRES from Romania; Armenpress from Armenia; and MIA in North Macedonia. ⁴

In December 2023, the Tazpit Press Service entered a content-sharing agreement with the Czech News Agency, based in Prague. ⁹

The content sharing agreement with WAM of the UAE began in 2021, and stemmed in part from the Abraham Accords in which Israel and the UAE strengthened business relations. The two media outlets agreed to exchange print, photos, videos, and audio-visual news, and to share technology. ¹⁰

News Coverage

Tazpit Press Service covers economics, security, politics, technology, scientific developments, agriculture, and other topics. ²

Amotz Eyal, the founder of TPS-IL, claimed “[o]ur goal is to expose stories that other services do not cover: not just terrorist attacks, but stories about the different communities in Israel.” ²

In December 2019, the TPS-IL’s nonprofit website was hacked, though its operational news site remained available throughout the incident. The news outlet noted that the hacking occurred following the outlet reporting on a story in which it claimed members of the terrorist group had allegedly actively supported members of the United Kingdom-based Labour Party including its then-leader, Jeremy Corbyn, in the British elections that year. ¹¹

Leadership

Amotz Eyal is the founder and CEO of the Tazpit Press Service. ¹² Eyal is a lecturer at Reichman University in Herzliya and has taught the “Communications in Conflict Zones” course. ⁵ He also serves as a reserve commander in a unit in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) tasked with special anti-terror operations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. ¹³

Miri Maoz Ovadia is the director of international operations for Tazpit Press Service. ¹²

Aryeh Savir is the news desk manager for Tazpit Press Service. ¹²

Ehud Amiton is the Israeli desk manager for Tazpit Press Service. ¹²

Ohad Rosh is the volunteer and stringers manager for Tazpit Press Service. ¹²

1. “TPS-IL.” LinkedIn. Accessed October 4, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/company/tpsil/
2. Ben-Zvi, Gidon. “Media Not Entitled to Its Own Facts on Israel.” Newsmax. June 12, 2017. Accesses October 5, 2024. https://www.newsmax.com/gidonbenzvi/bin-tps-twain/2017/06/12/id/795562/
3. TPS in Numbers.” Tazpit Press Service. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://tazpit.org.il/tps-in-numbers/
4. “Media Reach.” Tazpit Press Service. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://tazpit.org.il/media-reach/
5. Gordon, David. “An Exclusive Interview with Amotz Eyal – The Visionary Behind Tazpit News Agency.” Community Magazine. August 2024. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://communitym.com/2024/08/01/an-exclusive-interview-with-amotz-eyal-the-visionary-behind-tazpit-news-agency/
6.  “Press Services.” Tazpit Press Service. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://tazpit.org.il/press-services/
7.  “Production Services.” Tazpit Press Service. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://tazpit.org.il/productions/
8. “Guidelines and Principles.” Tazpit Press Service. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://tazpit.org.il/guidelines-and-principles/
9.  Benson, Pesach. “Tazpit Press Service and the Czech News Agency Sign Collaboration Agreement.” December 11, 2023. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://tps.co.il/articles/tazpit-press-service-and-the-czech-news-agency-sign-collaboration-agreement/
10. “WAM and Israel’s TPS sign cooperation agreement.” Sharjah 24. April 7, 2021. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://sharjah24.ae/en/Articles/2021/04/07/WAM-and-Israels-TPS-sign-cooperation-agreement
11. Israel Insider. “Hackers Attack TPS’ Website After it Revealed the Labour Party’s Ties to Hamas. December 11, 2019. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://www.christianlearning.com/hackers-attack-tps-website-after-it-revealed-the-labour-partys-ties-to-hamas/
12. “Leadership.” Tazpit Press Service. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://tazpit.org.il/leadership/
13.  “Amotz Eyal.” Jewish National Fund. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://www.jnf.org/menu-3/news-media/israelcast/amotz-eyal