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Reporting Gaza: Why the Media ...
podcasts |As the death toll in Gaza increases, the result of almost continuous bombardment by Israeli forces, so too do criticisms of the UK media for showing a seemingly pro-Israeli bias. Critics are asking why is there a lack of balance, context and explanation of the conflict? And why aren't we hearing the Palestinian voice? This and other troubling issues about Middle East reporting are debated in the CPBF’s latest podcast presented by Nicholas Jones.
For majority of the British media, the importance of presenting impartial news coverage has always been a key objective, but the notion of achieving balance and context has been questioned during the recent Israeli bombardment of Gaza. The death and destruction – and especially the deaths of so many children – has appeared in brutal contrast with the relatively minor impact of the Hamas rocket attacks on Israel. Moreover, Western media has been criticised for failing to cover the conflict in a fair manner and some media outlets, the BBC in particular, appear infused with a pro-Israeli bias. Equality in news reporting is not the only issue troubling the traditional media as a result of the recent turmoil in the Middle East; more journalists than ever before are losing their lives and insurgents are increasingly using social media to spread propaganda.
Nicholas Jones is joined by Lindsey German, Stop the War Coalition; Tim Llewellyn, former Middle East correspondent for the BBC, and Aidan White, director of the Ethical Journalism Network.
DATELINE: 27 August, 2014
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