Propaganda
We know from their own admission, that CNN cozied up to Saddam for “access.” Well, guess what: Some international (AFP) reporters are awfully cozy with the Palestinian Authority:
The story of candidate [and Agence France-Presse journalist Majida al-] Batsh, who wound up withdrawing her candidacy weeks ahead of the vote, highlights many concerns about the identity and political affiliation of several Palestinian journalists employed by international news organizations and TV networks to cover the Palestinian issue. It also underlines concerns about the credibility of much foreign news coverage in general in regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In addition to her work at the French news agency, Batsh was also a reporter for the PA’s official organ, Al-Ayyam,. In other words, she was also on the PA’s payroll, since the Ramallah-based newspaper was established and is financed by the PA. Al-Ayyam’s editor, Akram Haniyeh, has been listed as an adviser to Yasser Arafat.
But Batsh was not the only journalist at AFP who was working simultaneously for the PA. One of the agency’s correspondents in the Gaza Strip is Adel Zanoun, who also happens to be the chief reporter in the area for the PA’s Voice of Palestine radio station.
The AFP bureau chief in Jerusalem, Patrick Anidjar, refuses to discuss the issue, saying, “I don’t understand why you have to have the name of our correspondents.” Pressed to give a specific answer, he says: “I don’t want our correspondents’ names to go into print. I don’t want to answer the question. What is this, a police investigation?”
There’s more from new-to-me blogger Melanie Phillips.
Shocking.
I am somehow not surprised by this at all…
Also, have news people always been this untrustworthy or is this a recent trend?
There’s no “bias”! Really!
C’est Moi,
The news media have always been this biased. It’s just that now there are alternatives which show their bias for what it is.
At least they’re not shilling for Stalin any more.
… on second thought, I’m not so sure about that.
mr. green..
keep an eye on ms philips. I have recently discovered her myself, and she has the pull no punches style I like (like yours)
a fellow steve
mr. green..
keep an eye on ms philips. I have recently discovered her myself, and she has the pull no punches style I like (like yours)
a fellow steve
Second that on Melanie Philips – in the very top rank of UK journalists and a good blogger to boot.
What kind of sad excuse for a journalist wouldn’t allow their name to appear in print? And what kind of sad excuse for a wire service would adopt such a policy?
I like Melanie Phillips a great deal.
Here’s an absolutely essential must-read.
Media Bias
An article from the Jerusalem Post concerning how foreign media(AFP, CNN, Reuters and AP) employees and the Palestinian Authority are attached at the hip.
Rip & Read Blogger Podcast for January 22, 2005
Here’s what I ripped and read today:
Politicians in the Press?
VodkaPundit has a nice piece on the use of stringers to help international news organizations gather information. How unbiased can they be if they are working for the other side?
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