See Augustus Norton’s reaction to a recent CNN documentary on Hizbullah.
Tag: media
E&P: lack of war critique “a disgrace”
Editor & Publisher, the leading trade magazine on the US newspaper industry:
(July 18, 2006) — While it’s not surprising that nearly every editorial page in the U.S. has offered support for Israel’s right to retaliate against Hamas and Hezbollah, it’s a disgrace that few have expressed outrage, or at least condemnation, over the extent of death and destruction in and around Beirut — and the attacks on the country’s infrastructure, which harms most citizens of that country.
Hundreds of civilians have been killed in Lebanon, dozens of bridges and part of Beirut’s airport destroyed, power stations and ports short-circuited. Latest reports put the number of refugees at half a million, with thousands of Americans waiting for evacuation.
Amazingly, criticism of the extent of Israel’s bombing — and its policy of collective punishment — has actually decreased as the carnage has mounted.
I’m surprised he’s seen any editorial against the bombing. I know I haven’t.
Helen Thomas, pro-Hizbullah?
From the White House press briefing with veteran correspondent Helen Thomas (a descendant of Lebanese immigrants to the US):
Helen.
Q The United States is not that helpless. It could have stopped the bombardment of Lebanon. We have that much control with the Israelis.
MR. SNOW: I don’t think so, Helen.
Q We have gone for collective punishment against all of Lebanon and Palestine.
MR. SNOW: What’s interesting, Helen —
Q And this is what’s happening, and that’s the perception of the United States.
MR. SNOW: Well, thank you for the Hezbollah view, but I would encourage you —
So not only does White House spokesman Tony Snow (a former fake journalist for Fox News) describe one of the greatest journalists in America (she’s met every president since Truman, has tons of awards, etc.) as a Hezbullah supporter, but he also thinks the US is powerless to stop Israel. Interesting.
Via ThinkProgress.
CNN’s Lebanon Problem
A friend sent me this critical op-ed of CNN’s coverage of the current Israeli war on Lebanon. I recommend reading it.
I wonder what Fox News is up to?
NY Sun, rot in hell
Of all the extremely offensive articles the NY Sun (a super pro-Israeli neocon tabloid), for some reason I find this one the most offensive of all: Arabs Lose Their Summer Playground.
Al Jazeera journo shot in Israel
This just in:
Al Jazeera Crew Member Shot during Live Report
Doha, Qatar – July 19th 2006: Today, while an Al Jazeera crew was covering live the Israeli attack on Nablus in the West Bank, an Israeli military vehicle suddenly sped up towards Al Jazeera’s reporter, Jivara Al Budeiri, in an apparent attempt to interrupt the report. Al Jazeera’s technician Wael Tantous who was also part of her crew was subsequently shot and immediately rushed to hospital.
Since the start of the current war on Lebanon Al Jazeera crews have consistently been targeted by the Israeli authorities resulting in a constant hindrance and obstruction of their work.
Al Jazeera again emphatically expresses its strong denunciation and condemnation of this behaviour and reiterates its right to carry on its coverage with impartiality, objectivity and balance.
It’s a press release from Al Jazeera, will follow up with anything else I see.
Al Jazeera journalist in Israel arrested
From Al Jazeera:
AL JAZEERA DEMANDS THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ITS JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF
Doha, Qatar – July 17th 2006 – 4:00pm: Since Sunday July 16th, 2006 the Israeli authorities started obstructing Al Jazeera crews from covering the present confrontation in Lebanon in northern Israel. The Israeli authorities detained Al Jazeera’s correspondent, Ilyas Karram for a period of time just after the first wave of Hezbollah missiles hit Haifa. Furthermore, on two occassions yesterday and today the Israeli authorities detained Al Jazeera’s Bureau Chief in Jerusalem, Walid Al Omary. Mr. Al Omary has not been released yet without any explanations been given from the Israeli authorities, thus preventing Al Jazeera’s reporters from carrying out their work.
Al-NDP Al-Youm
I read in today’s Al-Ahram that the ruling National Democratic Party has launched Al-Watani Al-Youm, as a new daily mouthpiece for Mubarak’s regime. The 1st issue supposedly was out yesterday, on the same day the new press law was passed… I haven’t seen the newspaper anywhere yet.
The name “Al-Watani Al-Youm,” (The Patriot Today) rhymes with the already existing liberal daily Al-Masri Al-Youm, (The Egyptian Today) the best Arabic daily we have in Egypt in my view.
I still don’t know what will happen to the the NDP’s original paper Mayo, which is more or less The Onion of my father’s generation.
The name “Al-Watani Al-Youm,” (The Patriot Today) rhymes with the already existing liberal daily Al-Masri Al-Youm, (The Egyptian Today) the best Arabic daily we have in Egypt in my view.
I still don’t know what will happen to the the NDP’s original paper Mayo, which is more or less The Onion of my father’s generation.
HRW criticizes new press law
The New York-based rights watchdog criticized the regime’s new press law in a statement today.
The nuances of embeds
There’s been quite a fuss in the past few days over this article by Newsweek hack Rod Nordland, in which he criticizes the practices of “embeds” with US troops. Other journalists have come out and said the same, some describing themselves as mouthpieces for the US military.
I asked a friend working in Iraq who’s done several embeds what he thought of the whole debacle. Not only did he send his comments, reproduced below, but also provided the standard military form for “Embed Requests” journalists have to fill in to apply for an embed position. The questions it asks, such as links to previous articles, intent and angle of embed coverage, etc. make it clear the military media relations people want to know who they’re dealing with, but that doesn’t really seem unreasonable either — it’s more how they react to that info, and whether journalists feel pressured to be positive in order to keep their access to embeds.
Here’s what he had to say:
Embedding with the US military gets a pretty bad rap, with lots of armchair analysts sitting back and criticizing journalists for going “in bed” with the US military and reporting nothing but propaganda, as opposed to all the courageous journalists elsewhere in Baghdad who navigate the streets on their own and report the “true” story.
I would say that even in 2003 and 2004, when independent, street reporting was a little more possible and common, embeds still had their place. I think in an ideal world they are two very complimentary halves of the story. A good portion of the Iraq story is what the US military is doing, and the best way to cover that, is to embed with them.
Unfortunately, since Iraq became extremely unpleasant starting mid-2004, getting around the country or even around Baghdad without the US military has become rather difficult. It means that it’s harder to report the non-US military side of the story, though most agencies, using their Iraqi staff do a pretty good job.