It seems like quite a few of the radio news stories I hear about Israel or its neighbors cite Israeli Army Radio at one point or another. Is it really an independent news-gathering organization, or just regarded in the region as a mouthpiece for the Israeli government? Why the Army, rather than the IDF, or some civilian “Voice of America”-type broadcasting outfit? Do non-military Israelis frequently listen to it?
Galatz and Galgalatz (the two Israeli Army radio stations, the first talk, the second popular music) are Israeli government mouthpieces the same way that the BBC is a British government mouthpiece - in other words, they aren’t. For complex historical reasons, the two stations act independently of army command; in fact, they’re often accused of having a left-wing agenda. They’re also the highest-rated radio stations in the country, with civilians making up the bulk of their listeners.
I can see why the name would be deceptive, but no, it’s not a mouthpiece for the Israeli government. I think it’s much more comparable to a national broadcaster like the BBC rather than Voice of America. Incidentally, the wiki article you linked to notes that one of their notable broadcasters is Gideon Levy, one of the most prominent left wing journalists in Israel.
Who pays them? Do you know what ‘cornpone opinions’ are?