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Are Media Networks Aiding and Abetting Terrorism?
Yaron Brook, Ph.D. 4 Jan 2003
Danny Seaman, Israel’s Government Press Office Director, accused
Associated Press, Reuters, CNN, BBC, ABC and CBS of working with
directors and producers appointed by the Palestinian Authority who
spin--and even fabricate--reports in favor of Palestinians and against
Israel.
“Three senior producers” working for foreign networks, Seaman claimed,
“were coordinated with [master terrorist] Marwan Barghouti. He used to
call them and inform them about what was about to happen. They always
received early warning about gunfire on Gilo. Then they shot for TV
only
the Israeli response fire on Beit Jala. Those producers advised
Barghouti how to get the Palestinian message across better.”
This alleged conspiracy between journalists and terrorists to promote
the Palestinian cause should be thoroughly investigated. If these
charges are true, what we have here is not only an egregious example of
non-objective journalism, but a far more condemnable behavior on the
part of mainstream networks: an active role in aiding and abetting
terrorism.
Seaman’s charges should come as no surprise if we recall what BBC’s
correspondent in Gaza reportedly said at a Hamas rally: “Journalists
and
media organizations [are] waging the campaign shoulder-to-shoulder
together with the Palestinian people.”
It is bad enough to have the media biased against Israel--the innocent
victim of terrorism--but it is even worse to have the media, on which
we
depend for the news, actively collaborating with terrorists.
If we find out that this is indeed the case, we must make sure that all
those in the media who are involved with the terrorists be fired, at a
minimum. This won’t solve the problem of media bias against Israel, but
at least it will increase the possibility of an objective reporting on
the Middle East situation.
Yaron Brook, Ph.D.
President and Executive Director of The Ayn Rand Institute
2121 Alton Parkway, Suite 250
Irvine, CA 92606-4926
Phone: (949) 222-6550 ext. 207
ybrook@aynrand.org
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Daniel Seaman's interview can be read at:
http://www.honestreporting.com/articles/critiques/Mideast_Media_Storm.asp
or
http://www.israelnewsagency.com/cantspell.html
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