Television has been a single‐station medium in Israel since 1968. However, the 1990s brought a dramatic change: the introduction of cable television and the dramatic transition to a multichannel system. Using a before‐after research design, the present study focuses on the short‐term effects of the transition. Comparing cabled samples with matched samples not yet reached by cable, we found significant changes in viewing patterns, amount of viewing and the frequency of zapping. However, these changes are more significant among certain subpopulations and differ in their magnitude and motives from those of other societies. The findings at this early stage present a pattern indicating a state of confusion and cultural shock accompanied by significant changes in viewing patterns on the behavioral dime