Subtle CNN Bias
By Mazin Qumsiyeh
Dear CNN:
I found a deterioration in your coverage of the Middle East to the
point of absurdity. Let me please explain with an example and then
follow it with what I see are the rules you operate by in your
coverage (seemingly to value one set of lives over another).
My comments on one of your stories are in brackets below.
BEGIN QUOTE
March 29, 2001
Web posted at: 4:18 a.m. EST (0918 GMT)
NETZARIM, Israel (CNN)--[Netzarim is not in Israel but a settlement in
occupied Gaza Strip, illegal under international law] Two Palestinians
are dead following overnight violence in several locations in Israel
[West Bank and Gaza are not "in Israel"; notice passive voice and use
of "dead" as if it is an act of God].
The killings came after Israel [note use of Israel not Israeli
government while use of Palestinian Authority instead of Palestine or
Palestinians] warned of further military action against Palestinian
targets [!!] in retaliation [sic] for suicide bombings that killed two
Israelis [as if Israel only kills in retaliation while Palestinians
kill for other reasons, CNN gave a separate detail report on the two
Israelis killed by the suicide bomber, "Targets" included homes and
business in a busy center of town].
Israeli helicopter gun ships and tanks attacked targets [again this
ambiguous term not used for attacks at Israelis!!] associated with the
Palestinian Authority in the West Bank city of Ramallah and Gaza
Wednesday [no details], killing a member of Yasser Arafat' elite body
guard. [No mention of homes destroyed and one woman civilian killed in
the shelling, no mention of dozens of injured civilians].
Fighting between Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Palestinians on the
Gaza strip lead to the shooting death of one 13-year-old Palestinian
boy, Palestinian Red Crescent officials said Thursday. [This boggles
my mind- how is "fighting" lead to the shooting death of a tean-ager,
who shot him and why is not explained and what was his name. These
were shooting at unarmed demonstrators according to independent
observors]. Another Palestinian was injured in the same incident.
[How, where, by whom, name etc.].
Earlier Thursday, IDF soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian man
dressed in a "Force 17" uniform who, Israeli Army officials say, was
attempting to attack the Jewish settlement of Netzarim overnight.
[what do the Palestinians say or independent eyewitnesses and why this
detail about his uniform but not his personal life. Do we know what
the Israelis where dressed in when they are killed and what does CNN
say about them. Al-Ayyam stated that this man was picked by a sniper
as extrajudicial killings seem to have resumed under Sharon.].....
[and on and on] [No mention of what the International community,
Amnesty etc say about these kinds of "retaliation" for individual acts
by collective punishment. No mention of the curfews, the sieges, the
illegality of settlements, the occupation etc.]
END QUOTE
After reading many of your reports, I thought you may have a handy
dictionary/rules book for anyone writing on the Middle East that goes
something like this:
Definitions:
Caught in the Crossfire: When Palestinian civilians are killed
Retaliation: When Israeli army or settlers kill Palestinians
Escalation (synonym/can be used interchangeably with Provocation): Any
act of violence or resistance by the Palestinians
Murdered: When Israeli Civilians are killed
Brutal/cowardly/ghastly: adjectives describing attacks on Israelis
Self defense: Any act of violence by Israelis
Terrorism: Any act of violence by the Palestinians
Civilians: Armed settlers are civilians when killed. Try to avoid
using this term for Palestinians.
Neighborhoods: Areas inhabited by Israeli settlers especially if
targeted by shooting (light guns)
Positions: Palestinian towns and villages especially when bombed by
gunships or raked with large caliber machine guns
Tragedy: Any Israeli death
Deserved: Any Palestinian death
Squatters: Palestinian natives
Democratic ally: synonym for Israel
Disputed Areas: Any Palestinian or Arab land occupied by Israel in
defiance of International law.
Anti-Semite: Person condemns Israeli violations of Palestinian civil
and human rights.
Victims: Any Jewish Israeli
Attacker: Any Palestinian engaging in any form of resistance (violent
or not). Also see terrorist.
Targets: Palestinian buildings, homes, offices - What the Israeli
military designates as military targets
Attack/bombing/murder: Acts the Palestinians commit when directed at
Israelis
Clashes: This is a difficult term to understand but is generally used
when Palestinians die
Measures (e.g. Economic measures, security measures): Any acts the
Israelis commit (blockades, collective punishment, shelling
neighborhoods, starving a population etc)
Security: Anything the Israeli government chooses to do. This can
include land confiscation, extra-judicial killings, home
demolitions, destruction of groves, uprooting trees, blockades etc.
The term security is reserved for use only with the word Israel or
Israeli and must never be applied to Palestinians.
Lashing out: A term reserved for Palestinians and acts they commit
against Israelis
Under siege: Again a term for use by the Israelis as in Palestinians
have put Israelis under siege. Exact meaning depends on the
circumstances. Never use for Palestinian towns or villages.
Rules
- When to use Passive voice: if the violent action is committed by
Israelis (e.g. 2 Palestinians were killed, one of them a 9 year old).
- When to use active voice: if the action is committed by Palestinians
(e.g. Palestinians killed a Jewish child, Palestinians kills
teenager).
While reporting about Israelis use the affirmative tone: "2 Israelis
were injured", while reporting about Palestinian use the verbs
claimed, say etc. "Palestinians say woman dies of tear gas inhalation
in West Bank" (e.g. Ha'aretz)
Names must be included for any Jewish victims, always avoid names for
Muslim or Christian victims but use numbers in stead (remember in the
passive voice, e.g. 2 Palestinians died in clashes).
When an Israeli is killed, it is important to note his or her
profession, where he/she is from and was going, whether or not he/she
is religious, and whether or not he/she is an immigrant from the U.S.
or Russia. If the dead person is survived by a spouse and children,
this should be noted. If the victim is a youngster, the school they
attended should be mentioned, and their friends' feelings should be
noted. in general, people who knew the dead person should testify to
their humanity.
When a Palestinian is killed, they should not be personalized in any
way.
When an Israeli is killed, it is useful to include graphic
descriptions of the death scene - the covered body, the fragments of
flesh, the path of flowing blood, etc.
Perhaps if your reporters and writers lived in the occupied areas
instead of in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, they will have more balanced
coverage.
PLEASE EXPLAIN.
Sincerely,
Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD
Chair, Media Committee
http://al-awda.org
