Decrepitude as a source of symbolic capital: the case of the Israeli army radio station

The Israel Defence Forces radio station has been broadcasting to the general public for 68 years, becoming increasingly popular over the last few decades. Following the work of Nick Couldry, this article explores the cultural importance of the station’s production site. It argues that the Israeli army radio station is a special case in that the physical drabness of the media site legitimises its military provenance, strengthening a direct link between the media organisation and its staff, as well as between the army as a whole and the Israeli general public.