Death in Gaza: Some Counts More Controversial than Others
When it comes to the death toll in Gaza, the Washington Post and New York Times both work hard to muddy up the picture.
Do Palestinians Living in Israel Count?
If a poll of a country’s population excludes 20 percent of the people who live there, journalists should make that clear.
Gaza, Cease-Fires and Stenography
An announced cease-fire in Gaza on August 1 broke down almost immediately, with claims that Hamas militants–including one with a suicide vest–had attacked Israeli troops and had kidnapped a soldier. But almost every aspect of the story was questionable, if not false. According to some early reports, Hamas broke the cease-fire with an attack on […]
Did New Gaza Cease-Fire Start With an Israeli Airstrike?
The New York Times reported that Israel launched an airstrike moments after it announced a cease-fire. But then the paper changed the story dramatically.
When Meet the Press Meets a Palestinian
NBC invites a Palestinian on Meet the Press- but mostly to see if he would condemn Hamas.
Media Hype and Gaza’s ‘Terror’ Tunnels
CNN and NY Times hype Israeli claims about Hamas tunnels–and omit some important facts.
Why Is Israel Attacking Gaza?
Journalism about the current violence is bound to focus on the death and destruction in Gaza. But there remains ample space to ask whether the war was launched to punish Hamas for something it had nothing to do with.
CBS Host: Palestinians Force Israel to Kill Kids
CBS host Bob Schieffer shares his theory that Palestinians want their kids to be killed.
Alex Kane on US Weapons in Gaza; Jamie Kalven on Police Abuse Records
The US press doesn’t talk much about where Israel gets its weapons–or other aspects of the US role in the Gaza conflict. And a recent legal victory in Chicago could help expose police brutality in poor communities of color.
Are People Who Shoot Down Passenger Planes ‘War Criminals’—or ‘Hard to Fault’?
If you’re going to shoot down a civilian jetliner–from the New York Times’ point of view–it helps to be working for the US Navy when you do it.
FAIR TV: Palestinian Lives, Iran Facts, ABC’s Walmart Promo
This week on the show: Media figures demonstrate their concern for Israeli lives–and their lack of concern for Palestinians. Plus NBC host David Gregory makes a claim about Iran–and an Iranian official is there to challenge him. And ABC‘s Walmart report: Is it journalism or infomercial? Watch:
NYT Rewrites Gaza Headline: Was It Too Accurate?
The New York Times rewrote a headline about Palestinian kids being killed on a beach to remove the fact that they were killed.
PBS ‘Expert’ Speaks for Both Sides, but Advocates ‘Excessive Force’ Against One Side
The NewsHour invited Anthony Cordesman to consider possible policy options for “both sides” in the Israel/Gaza conflict. The problem is that Cordesman is on the record as advocating the option of brutality against Palestinian civilians.
Everything You Don’t Need to Know About Israel/Gaza
ABC News put a piece on its website headlined “Everything You Need to Know About the Israel/Gaza Conflict.” What’s interesting about it is all the things they think you don’t need to know.
CBS Host Feels for Frightened Israelis—But Not Dead Palestinians
CBS host Bob Schieffer conveyed genuine concern for Israelis threatened by rockets fired from Gaza. But his empathy did not extend to Palestinians killed by Israel.
Cokie Roberts: More People Should Fear the United States
ABC pundit Cokie Roberts thinks more countries should fear the United States.
FAIR TV: ABC’s Gaza ‘Mistake,’ Dinesh D’Souza and CBS CEO Boosterism
This week on FAIR TV: ABC’s embarrassing mistake in its Gaza coverage, This Week touts a right-wing conspiracy film and CBS presents viewers with the story of the risk-taking billionaire CEO who is cutting thousands of jobs.
Yousef Munayyer on Gaza Attacks, Lee Fang on Marijuana Legalization
Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have claimed dozens of Palestinian lives, including those of more than a dozen children. There are no Israeli casualties so far. The fact that US corporate media fail to note the unequal power and disproportionate suffering of Palestinians is just one of the ways middle east coverage is distorted. We’ll talk with Yousef Munayyer of the Jerusalem Fund, about that.
Also on the show: For the first time, Gallup reports a majority of Americans support the legalization of marijuana. Of course many things can stand between popular opinion and legislation, and in this case one of those things is a powerful industry, though you don’t hear much about it in debates around pot. Lee Fang of the Nation institute will join us to talk about his piece, The Real Reason Pot Is Still Illegal.
When Does the ‘Cycle of Violence’ Start?
Coverage of the violence between Israel and Palestine often reduces the conflict to a “cycle of violence” that periodically flares up (FAIR Action Alert, 6/30/06; FAIR Blog, 12/19/08). The same is true now, with corporate media embracing the narrative that Israel’s attacks against Palestine are “retaliations,” implying that it is solely the fault of Palestinians […]
Why ABC Thought Suffering Palestinians Were Israelis
ABC misidentified a suffering Palestinian family as being Israeli. It shouldn’t be seen as just an honest mistake.
