Good Ol' NPR Reporting

A blogger has a problem with NPR. He deals with

a piece by Peter Kenyon, reporting from the Egyptian side of the border between Egypt and the Gaza strip. Kenyon slanted his story in several ways:

He used the Emotive Bias Technique to ensure that the Arab side of the story would stick with the listener while the Israeli side would be forgotten

He used the Selective Omission Technique to mislead without explicitly lying

He quoted false statements without comment or challenge

I looked at it too but didn't get beyond the opening of the presenter:-

DEBORAH AMOS (host; formerly of ABC):



The Gaza Strip doesn’t get many high profile visitors since the Islamism group Hamas took over three years ago and Israel imposed a blockade. But the territory is now back in the spotlight. International pressure has been building on Israel to end, or at least ease, the blockade. The head of the Arab League Amr Moussa was in Gaza yesterday to express solidarity with the people of Gaza. NPR’s Peter Kenyon traveled to the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza, and sent this report.

PETER KENYON: Gazans were heartened by Amr Moussa’s visit and were glad to hear him repeat the Arab Leagues call for lifting the blockade.

The Gaza Strip doesn’t get many high profile visitors since the Islamism group Hamas took over???

We won't mention the visit of Paul Martin from the BBC who came to testify in court. He was arrested.

But there was George Galloway but he ran into trouble with Egypt. But nevertheless, got in, met with Hamas leaders and distributed money to terrorists.

There were some other Britons earlier this year but their convoy was attacked.

In March, Baroness Catherine Ashton, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, visited the Gaza Strip and inspected a food distribution centre.

Even the IHH reps from Turkey, the sponsors of the flotilla guerrillas, got in this year.

Last year, three Democratic members of Congress, Senator John Kerry, who chairs the Foreign Relations Committee, Representatives Brian Baird of Washington State and Keith Ellison of Minnesota, were there.

Does Tony Blair count?

Here's a list of 301 visitors.

Of course, there are also non-Israeli restrictions:

Travel to the Gaza Strip by U.S. Government personnel is prohibited. Private American citizens also should avoid travel to these areas.

But don't forget, there is an Egyptian side to this:

Journalists from major news organizations can now travel freely between Gaza and Israel with identification cards issued by Israel’s Government Press Office. The application process for these cards can take up to three months. Without these press cards, entry is difficult; tourists and casual visitors are not allowed into Gaza from the Israeli or the Egyptian sides.

I could go on but I'm tired.

Let NPR do the proper, professional news work.


(Kippah tip: BL)


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