Before the establishment of the Second Broadcasting Authority and the subsequent widespread availability in Israel of cable television and satellite pay TV services (which also produce their own programming directed at the local market in the early 1990s (cable) and 2001 (satellite DTH service), the IBA had enjoyed a virtual monopoly of television and radio broadcasting and production in the country.

There were a few exceptions, such as the morning and afternoon broadcasts produced by Israel Educational Television and delivered via the IBA's television channel, the popular Israel Defense Forces Radio service, and a private radio station (the Voice of Peace) which operated offshore, outside Israeli territorial waters.

This fee was the primary source of revenue for the IBA's television services; however, its radio stations, however, carried full advertising and its TV programs were sometimes "sponsored" by commercial entities as a supplement to this income.

[citation needed] The IBA (IBS at the time) was admitted as a fully active member of the European Broadcasting Union in 1957.

[citation needed] In 2014, the Israeli cabinet approved reforms that would see the IBA closed and a new public broadcasting body take its place.

[5][6] The IBA was supposed to be replaced by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC) on 1 October 2016, but the launch was postponed until the beginning of 2018.

IBA's 88FM radio station also broadcast the program, with live commentary by Kobi Menora, Dori Ben Ze’ev and Alon Amir.