Racism in US media?

[shamrock_uk]

The first one from Al-Jazeera who give an account of coverage on MSNBC and CNN. By all reasonable accounts, I think that the MSNBC one especially is surely not good journalism and definitely not respectful to the dead. Not the kind of comments I would wish to see about anyone if I was watching the news - I expect intelligent comments, both sides of the argument and a balanced debate.

It also ties in well with the rather awful Daily Mirror article posted in the 'Insulting Americans' thread in the more general discussion of media standards. Although I would (perhaps unreasonably?) expect higher standards from television media - certainly similar contents to the Daily Mirror article would never ever be shown on a TV news show in the UK.

The order is slightly mucked up because of picture captions etc. Original article here, but my quote is the complete thing. http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exer...9000AAFA22.htm

Rights group blasts 'racist' US media by Sunday 14 November 2004 10:02 PM GMT Imus called Arafat a 'rat' and 'stinky'; mourners were 'animals' A rights group has criticised some US media organisations for allowing racist and hate-filled speech during its coverage of Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat's death. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) said it was deeply concerned with "the alarming hostility expressed by media commentators towards the Palestinian people in the wake of the death of Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat", a statement said. The ADC said US networks MSNBC and CNN both broadcast hostile commentary regarding Palestinians. Don Imus, of the Imus in the Morning programme aired on weekends on MSNBC, referred to Arafat as a "rat" and called him "stinky" with "beady-eyes". Imus also said that "all Palestinians look like him". The racist comments continued with one of his guests who described the Palestinians attending the funeral as "animals" and joked about their hygiene. "They're dropping soap from the helicopters," the guest laughed. Good riddance Arafat Also on MSNBC, Joe Scarborough, presenter of Scarborough Country, began his programme by declaring: "Some are calling Yasir Arafat's passing a tragedy. He's actually the father of modern terrorism. Good riddance. "We should be seeking and working towards a just and lasting peace for the Israelis and the Palestinians instead of engaging in hateful rhetoric which dehumanises a people and affects perception of television viewers" ADC statement "This was, after all, the man who invented modern terrorism in the Middle East and by extension was the godfather of September 11." Among the guests on the show was the Palestinian Authority representative to the United States, Hasan Abd al-Rahman, who while attempting to express his view, was interrupted by shouts of "where's the money?" by Scarborough in reference to international aid. The ADC also said that CNN was guilty of one-sided, hostile comments. Violations "Plans call currently for Yasir Arafat to be buried in his compound in Ram Allah, which will eventually be turned into some kind of shrine. Maybe they'll put a sign out front for the Palestinian people, that reads: 'Here lays the body of the thief who robbed you blind'," said Jack Cafferty on CNN's morning programme, American Morning. "Comments such as the ones listed can only be regarded as an overt incitement to ethnic hatred of the Palestinians," the ADC said in a statement. "Surely the denigration of an ethnic group, a people who have been living under an ongoing 37-year Israeli military occupation, constitutes a violation of any system of journalistic standards. "We should be seeking and working towards a just and lasting peace for the Israelis and the Palestinians instead of engaging in hateful rhetoric which dehumanises a people and affects perception of television viewers. "We call on all members of the media to be objective in their reporting and commentary," the statement added.

Also, a more broader swipe at the US media from the head of the BBC News Division (which, as the article points out, could be a case of the pot calling the kettle black) for letting patriotism skew their coverage. This is just a short quote, the rest is here: http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exer...8ADBD31973.htm

The head of the BBC's news operations is to accuse US media organisations of being overly patriotic in their coverage of Iraq. Releasing an advance copy of his speech to Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism in New York, Richard Sambrook will tell journalists on Wednesday that even before the Iraq war most US news broadcasters "wrapped themselves in the flag". Director of the BBC's global news division, Sambrook said the consequence was the US media did not perform the "role the public expects of them - to ask the difficult questions, to press, to verify". "If a news organisation imbues itself with patriotism, it inhibits itself from asking some of those questions". He also highlighted the increasing number of journalist deaths over the past year. More than 85 reporters have died over the past 12 months. Earlier this year, the New York Times acknowledged it had failed to adequately challenge information from Iraqi exiles who were determined to show Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction in a bid to overthrow him.

[ 11-16-2004, 02:56 PM: Message edited by: shamrock_uk ]

[Timber Loftis]

I thought our broadcasters were too liberal? Make up your mind wouldya?

Arafat was a stinky little rat. I hope he found peace -- but if there is a hell, he's in it.

And, if that idiot Imus is "journalism," then Howard Stern is an NPR sexual healing session.

[ 11-16-2004, 03:18 PM: Message edited by: Timber Loftis ]

[Azred]

There is no law that anyone in the US media--or any news service, for that matter--has to like anyone. Universal acceptance is the fantasy of kindergarteners, so they need to grow up.

Arafat was a terrorist, a murderer, and apparently a thief (albeit a rich one). Why would anyone mourn his passing? Even the Palestinians are better off with him gone.

On the other hand, statements that the Palestinian people are animals is going too far; Imus et al should apologize for those comments and comport themselves with more professional dignity.