Israel Resource Review |
12th November, 2000 |
Contents:
BBC TENDENTIOUSNESS CHART
BBC Tendentiousness Test Chart
Time | Reporter | Airs own opinion? | Both sides presented? | Key words |
October 3 |
1 p.m. | Paul Adams | yes | no | |
6 p.m. | Paul Adams | yes | no | |
9 p.m. | Ben Brown | yes | no | massacre, President Arafat |
9 p.m. | Paul Adams | yes | no | |
BBC2 |
7-9 a.m. | Clive Myrie | no | no | demonstrations, Hostilities, Al Aksa compound |
October 4 |
1 p.m. | Paul Adams | yes | no | Israeli snipers |
9 p.m. | Ben Brown | yes | no | Uprising |
BBC1 October 5 |
1 p.m. | Paul Adams | yes | no | protesters |
9 p.m. | Ben Brown | yes | no | Children die |
October 6 |
| Paul Adams | yes | no | stonethrowing protesters |
October 9 |
| Jeremy Bowen | yes | no | Appropriate measures as they call it |
| Hilary Anderson | yes | no | pogroms |
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BBC:
an Excercise in Tendentious Coverage?
by Judy Lash Balint
We reviewed six days of BBC TV news coverage
(October 3-9) from the Middle East, to test for tendentiousness in three
categories:
- Was the reporter airing a personal opinion in the news report?
- Were views from both sides presented?
- Were key words used that could be termed pejorative, prejudicial
or one-sided?
BBC News, October 3-9, 2000
Overview
Several clear patterns emerge from an analysis of BBC news coverage of the
second week of anti-Israel violence.
1) There is a general lack of balance in almost every report
from the region. Israeli representatives are rarely interviewed
or quoted. Reporters are almost never seen on the Israeli side
of the battle line. They are almost always filmed just behind
the stone throwers, or in towns under PA control.
During the entire week, only one report is filed from an Israeli town or
village under fire--in this case, Psagot.
2) The language used by reporters in the field, news anchors and on screen
graphics is often inaccurate and inflammatory. Yasser Arafat is routinely
referred to as President Arafat. The violent riots are almost always
labeled "demonstrations", while Israeli retaliation is described in the most
inflammatory terms--as a "pogrom" and a "massacre".
3) Reporters frequently voice their own opinions in segments which are
presented as news coverage, not labeled as analysis. Paul Adams does this on several occasions.
4) Facts are reported which are not substantiated or checked. Instead of
quoting these as Arab claims, they are reported as facts.
October 3
1 p.m. News: Reporter Paul Adams injects his own opinions
as he speaks about the status of the violence. Adams labels the
riots as an uneven contest between Israelis and Palestinians.
6 p.m. Adams editorializes again by stating that the
conflict was started by a calculated provocation by Sharon.Adams
also states that Israel's assertion that the violence was
started by an order from Arafat is ân exaggeration.
No Israeli opinion is cited in either of these broadcasts.
9 p.m. Ben Brown justifies the violence by citing years
of pent-up frustrations of Palestinians. He uses the word
"massacre" to describe the killing of Palestinian youth.
In the same broadcast Adams misstates the facts by stating Palestinians
"didn't start this".
BBC 2 Newsnight
10:30 p.m.
Only Arab casualties are pictured. There is no sense that
Israelis are being attacked, fired upon. Arafat is referred to
as President Arafat.
7-9 a.m. Clive Myrie reporting. The violence is described as
demonstrations,and hostilities, leaving the impression that the
rioters are only demonstrating their feelings and that both sides are
equally responsible for the situation.
Myrie cites Arik Sharon's visit to the Al Aksa compound--an important holy
site in Islam,omitting the fact that Al Aksa sits on the Temple Mount,
Judaism's holiest site.
BBC 1
October 4, 2000
1 p.m. Paul Adams reports from Nablus. Standing just behind Arabs throwing
rocks Adams speaks of the ongoing violence, but without the context of the
Israeli side, it appears that the youths are defending themselves from the
IDF. At the conclusion of his report, Adams points to Israeli snipers.
Once again, because of the omission of any reporting from the Israeli side
the impression is left that the Israelis are shooting indiscriminately at
Arab youth.
6 p.m. Adams reports from Hebron. No mention of Israeli casualties.
9 p.m. Ben Brown reports from a Ramallah hospital. Again, no reports from
Israel, no Israeli representative responding. Brown reports that "the
uprising goes on",and describes the rioters simply as "protesters".
October 5, 2000
1 p.m. Paul Adams reports from Ramallah. Again, no Israeli perspective.
Calls the rioters "protesters".
9 p.m. Ben Brown says that in Netzarim children die. No context
given -- without being given the information that the PA
encourages children to take to the streets, the viewer is led to
believe that the IDF targets young children.
Brown does go to Psagot for a report of the community under siege. This is
the only report from a Jewish community during the entire week.
BBC 1
October 6, 2000
A map depicting the region shows the Golan Heights but the caption reads
occupied territory.The word Golan does not appear.
Paul Adams again describes the rioters as stone throwing protesters.
Describing Joseph's Tomb Adams accepts disinformation that claims
saying it was never a religious site claimed by Jews.
October 9, 2000
7 a.m. Jeremy Bowen editorializes in his news report. Bowen says Israel
threatens appropriate measures, as they call it . . . .
Hilary Anderson from the Galilee in conversation with Bowen in Jerusalem.
Anderson alleges that Israelis are attacking Arabs in their homes, without
providing specifics, attribution or footage. In the next sentence she uses
inflammatory language again without citing any facts: they're carrying out
pogroms, Anderson says.
Bowen calls rioters young men on the streets, and claims that a 14 year
old was killed by settlers. Unsubstantiated, no specifics, no Israeli
response requested.
Judy Lash Balint,
Author, Special Media Investigations Report
on behalf of Israel Resource News Agency
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