Spring Break
The Daily OrangeJournalist criticizes media coverage in Middle East
Jeff Jacoby cites lack of experience as source of bias
By Hope Morley
Posted: 4/1/08, 11:03 PM EST Section: News
Jacoby said the media tends to attract people from more politically liberal backgrounds. He defends his colleagues in the media as professionals who do not intend to skew stories, but he sees room for improvement.
"It's a problem when a newsroom is staffed by people who share the same political ideology," Jacoby said. "The left has taken a decided line on the Middle East with Israel as the villain and Palestine as the victim."
Jacoby did offer a solution to this problem. He said reporting would be more fair if journalists recognized the root of the conflict, which he said is the failure of other Middle Eastern countries to accept a Jewish state.
Following his speech was a heated question-and-answer session regarding his views. Haifa Jedea, a sophomore broadcast journalism major, was angered that Jacoby seemed to be biased himself.
"It sounded like pro-Israel propaganda," Jedea said. "I thought it would be more neutral, not just about Israel."
Jedea said she wants to study journalism because she also sees Middle Eastern reporting as problematic. But instead of elaborating on the region as a whole, she saw Jacoby's speech as too skewed toward Israel.
But some audience members were in agreement with Jacoby. Kelsie Bouchard, a freshman public relations major, said his speech was interesting and thought-provoking.
"I thought his points about photographs and 'fauxtographs' were the most interesting," Bouchard said. "I'm going to go look it up when I get home."
hemorley@syr.edu
"It's a problem when a newsroom is staffed by people who share the same political ideology," Jacoby said. "The left has taken a decided line on the Middle East with Israel as the villain and Palestine as the victim."
Jacoby did offer a solution to this problem. He said reporting would be more fair if journalists recognized the root of the conflict, which he said is the failure of other Middle Eastern countries to accept a Jewish state.
Following his speech was a heated question-and-answer session regarding his views. Haifa Jedea, a sophomore broadcast journalism major, was angered that Jacoby seemed to be biased himself.
"It sounded like pro-Israel propaganda," Jedea said. "I thought it would be more neutral, not just about Israel."
Jedea said she wants to study journalism because she also sees Middle Eastern reporting as problematic. But instead of elaborating on the region as a whole, she saw Jacoby's speech as too skewed toward Israel.
But some audience members were in agreement with Jacoby. Kelsie Bouchard, a freshman public relations major, said his speech was interesting and thought-provoking.
"I thought his points about photographs and 'fauxtographs' were the most interesting," Bouchard said. "I'm going to go look it up when I get home."
hemorley@syr.edu
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Zachary Kineke
posted 4/02/08 @ 10:46 AM EST
He's right in saying that you can't simply portray the Israelis as aggressors and Palestinians as victims, but only because you can never generalize any entire side as one of those things. (Continued…)
mzfitmama
posted 4/03/08 @ 12:58 AM EST
did he not speak about the liberal bias in covering the war in iraq, or did your reporter just neglect to mention if he did? this story is focused on only one area of conflict. (Continued…)
Post a Comment