NP? speaking of spin

Central Truths July 02, 2002
By John Pilger

 If you got your news only from the television, you would have no idea of
the roots of the Middle East conflict, or that the Palestinians are victims
of an illegal military occupation.

In May, the Glasgow University Media Group, distinguished for its
pioneering media analysis, published a study of the reporting of the
Israeli/ Palestinian conflict. It ought to be required reading in newsrooms
and media schools. The research showed that the public's lack of
understanding of the conflict and its origins was compounded by news
reporting, especially on television.

Viewers, says the study, are rarely told that the Palestinians are victims
of an illegal military occupation. The term "occupied territories" is
almost never explained. Indeed, only 9 per cent of young people interviewed
knew that the Israelis were the occupiers and the "settlers" were Israeli.
The selective use of language is important.

The study found that words such as "murder", "atrocity", "lynching" and
"savage, cold-blooded killing" were used only to describe Israeli deaths.
"The extent to which some journalism assumes the Israeli perspective,"
wrote Professor Greg Philo, "can be seen if the statements are 'reversed'
and presented as Palestinian actions. [We] did not find any [news] reports
stating that 'The Palestinian attacks were in retaliation for the murder of
those resisting the illegal Israeli occupation'."

[...]

A Channel 4 Dispatches recently "balanced" the Israeli assault on the Jenin
refugee camp with a Palestinian attack on a "settlement". There was no
explanation that these are not settlements at all, but armed, illegal
fortresses that are central to a policy of imposing strategic and military
control. [...]


continues at:
http://www.zmag.org/sustainers/content/2002-06/30pilger.cfm