Journalism Glance
Rather than provide a check on the abuses of those in power, Accuracy in Media editor Cliff Kincaid says the media are making excuses for Obama Treasury Secretary nominee Timothy Geithner's failure over the years to pay a variety of taxes and to make sure those he hired as domestic help had legal status in the U.S. The media, Kincaid argues, are functioning as arms of the Obama Transition office. The most popular excuse, first put forward by the Obama office, is that Geithner just made "honest mistakes." This excuse has been picked up by the media, he notes.
Israel indicts two Iran TV journalists for reporting on Gaza ground invasion
The indictment says the two Palestinian journalists reported the beginning of Israel's ground incursion into Gaza on Jan. 3 while the information was still subject to military censorship.
Tuesday's indictment says they knew their broadcast for Iran's Arabic-language Al-Alam TV could endanger Israeli soldiers by giving Hamas militants forewarning of the operation.
The charges could carry lengthy jail terms.
Military Times Poll Flawed
The Palm Center today issued a policy memo in response to assertions this month by Elaine Donnelly in the National Review Online and on Fox News that lifting the ban on openly gay troops would "destroy" the U.S. military. Donnelly, president of the Center for Military Readiness, made her case in a January 2nd blog post and again on the Fox News Channel on January 11th. She based her argument on a survey conducted by the Military Times which found that 58% of respondents oppose openly gay service and 10% claim they would not re-enlist if the ban were lifted.
Read more...
International Law Seldom Newsworthy in Gaza War
U.S. corporate media coverage of the Israeli military attacks that have reportedly killed over 900--many of them civilians--since December 27 has overwhelmingly failed to mention that indiscriminate attacks on civilian targets are illegal under international humanitarian law.
Israel's recent aerial attacks on Gazan infrastructure, including a TV station, police stations, a mosque, a university and even a U.N. school, have been widely reported. Yet despite the fact that attacks on civilian infrastructure, including police stations, are illegal (Human Rights Watch, 12/31/08), questions of legality are almost entirely off the table in the U.S. media.
Will AP ever stop lying for Israel?
When life-saving — arguably genocide-preventing — information is systematically and deliberately misreported and concealed by the world’s largest news organizations, you can safely consider it, too, an act of lying.
On January 9, The Associated Press released a report titled ”A look at the Islamic militant Hamas group.” Like virtually all AP reports on Israel-Palestine, it is loaded with examples of journalistic malpractice: omission of the most basic and vital facts, use of the most sensationalistic or flatly wrong language, contradictions, and untruths.
How the CIA Handles the US Media
On Jan. 7, the Washington Post published a front-page lead article and an op-ed on the nomination of Leon Panetta as CIA director; both articles exaggerated the extent of opposition to the Panetta appointment and they demonstrated the weakness of mainstream media coverage of the intelligence community, particularly the Central Intelligence Agency.
The front-page article by Karen DeYoung, a seasoned reporter, and Joby Warrick, a newcomer to the intelligence beat, presented a one-sided and inaccurate account of the opposition to the naming of Panetta.
The op-ed by David Ignatius, who has relied heavily on unnamed CIA clandestine operatives as sources for the past 25 years, argues that the CIA “has demonstrated an ability to sabotage bosses it doesn’t like.” Such balderdash!
It is particularly ironic that such senior writers as DeYoung and Ignatius would rely on the views of clandestine officers who are particularly adept at manipulating people and opinion. Indeed, that is part of their job description. The reliance on anonymous CIA sources from the clandestine community does not make for good reporting or good journalism.
What is Really Happening
I watched BBC World News for a timed hour yesterday. In that time I saw:
- Pro-Israeli (including US government) speakers - 17
- Pro-Palestinian speakers - 2
- Mentions of Hamas Rockets as reason for war - 37
- Mentions of illegal Israeli settlements - 0
- Mentions of Palestinians killed by Israel during "ceasefire" - 2
- Mentions of Sderot - 12
- Mentions Sderot used to be Palestinian - 0
If you don't believe me, try it yourself.
More Articles...
Page 82 of 101
