Exposing media as bias regarding Israel-Gaza conflict
Date
2/12/2024 2:39:04 AM
(MENAFN) In the midst of the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict, media coverage has come under scrutiny for what some perceive as pro-Israeli double standards. The New York Times, in a report titled 'The Decline of Death in Gaza,' highlighted an alleged decrease in the death toll in Gaza, attributing it to a shift in Israel's battle strategy. However, critics argue that the article omitted key data that contradicted its claims.
In the aftermath of the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) preliminary ruling on South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide, the New York Times was the first to receive and publish information from an Israeli dossier accusing UNRWA staff of complicity in the armed activities of Hamas. This move has added to the skepticism surrounding media coverage and its potential bias.
A quantitative analysis conducted by The Intercept on over 1,000 articles in United States mainstream media, including the New York Times, revealed a consistent bias in favor of Israeli perspectives and an underreporting of Palestinian suffering. This aligns with a targeted analysis of the BBC's coverage during the conflict, which showed a significant discrepancy in the use of humanizing language for Israelis compared to Palestinians.
Researchers Jan Lietava and Dana Najjar specifically focused on the BBC's reporting between October 17 to December 2, noting that terms like "murder(ed)," "massacre(d)," and "slaughter(ed)" were used 144 times to describe Israelis, while Palestinians received such descriptions only once each, with the term "slaughter" never used for Palestinian casualties. The study highlights the imbalance in language and coverage when it comes to reporting on the death toll on both sides.
As the media continues to play a crucial role in shaping public perceptions of the Israel-Gaza conflict, the findings of these analyses raise important questions about journalistic integrity, objectivity, and the responsibility of media outlets to provide a balanced and comprehensive view of the complex and sensitive situation in the region.
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