Israel’s news media watchdog – HonestReporting.Com went east in March, with their CEO Joe Hyams, visiting Hong Kong for the first time. It’s a remarkable start-up story, of a young and dynamic US non-profit to achieve such a presence with a small team of editorial staff.

The Israel based organisation boasts over 150,000 global readers to its fast action website, holding media accountable for the news coverage of Israel, and informing readers of all they need to know about ‘Israel in the news’. Hyams feels that Asia and Australia are underserved communities for his work and he is here to change that.

“It’s about far more than talking between ourselves,” Hyams told Jewish Times Asia. “It’s about reaching beyond the choir, and finding the thousands of good people out there ready to call media to account when they get it wrong on Israel,” he said.

Hyams explained how an increasing number of monthly web viewers to his site are originating from Asia. “I don’t know who these readers and supporters are, but I know that here we have a community engaging our work and I am here to build on that. What is essential is that we recognise the gaping hole in Israel’s communication defenses right now,” Hyams added.