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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
Jeff Jacoby said the media skews Middle Eastern coverage because even journalists are ignorant of what is really happening.
"There is plenty of room in this conflict, as in any conflict, for misinformation," Jacoby said about bias in Middle East reporting.
Jacoby, a Boston Globe op-ed columnist, listed example after example of what he sees as severe bias in coverage of the Middle East conflict in his speech Tuesday night in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications' Hergenhan Auditorium.
The goal of his speech, titled "Why the Media Gets the Middle East Wrong," was to educate news consumers about the possibility that the news they receive is skewed, he said.
Jacoby read excerpts from two New York Times editorials about the deaths of terrorists. He showed a picture that's caption described an Israeli police officer standing over a beaten Palestinian youth. In reality, the youth was a Jewish boy from Chicago who had just been mugged. He was running to the police officer for protection.
"Nobody in news media questioned the storyline of Israeli brutality and a Palestinian victim," Jacoby said.
Jacoby said one factor that contributes to this bias is ignorance. A good journalist is expected to be able to cover a story with no prior knowledge of the situation, Jacoby said. Too often, these inexperienced reporters "get bamboozled."
"If they go in with ignorance, very often they will get the story wrong," he said.
An over-emphasis on Israel in the news is another factor in coverage bias, he said. Many reporters are based in Jerusalem because Israel defends the right to a free press. Thus, more investigative stories about Israel are produced because there is no fear of the government harming reporters.
"Where journalists are concentrated, coverage tends to be negative," he said.
Along those lines, fear also contributes to biases in the news, he said. Jacoby cited the example of CNN admitting it knew horror stories about Saddam Hussein, but did not air them until after he was removed from power because of fear.
"There is plenty of room in this conflict, as in any conflict, for misinformation," Jacoby said about bias in Middle East reporting.
Jacoby, a Boston Globe op-ed columnist, listed example after example of what he sees as severe bias in coverage of the Middle East conflict in his speech Tuesday night in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications' Hergenhan Auditorium.
The goal of his speech, titled "Why the Media Gets the Middle East Wrong," was to educate news consumers about the possibility that the news they receive is skewed, he said.
Jacoby read excerpts from two New York Times editorials about the deaths of terrorists. He showed a picture that's caption described an Israeli police officer standing over a beaten Palestinian youth. In reality, the youth was a Jewish boy from Chicago who had just been mugged. He was running to the police officer for protection.
"Nobody in news media questioned the storyline of Israeli brutality and a Palestinian victim," Jacoby said.
Jacoby said one factor that contributes to this bias is ignorance. A good journalist is expected to be able to cover a story with no prior knowledge of the situation, Jacoby said. Too often, these inexperienced reporters "get bamboozled."
"If they go in with ignorance, very often they will get the story wrong," he said.
An over-emphasis on Israel in the news is another factor in coverage bias, he said. Many reporters are based in Jerusalem because Israel defends the right to a free press. Thus, more investigative stories about Israel are produced because there is no fear of the government harming reporters.
"Where journalists are concentrated, coverage tends to be negative," he said.
Along those lines, fear also contributes to biases in the news, he said. Jacoby cited the example of CNN admitting it knew horror stories about Saddam Hussein, but did not air them until after he was removed from power because of fear.
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…)
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