https://m.jpost.com/middle-east/article-772410
This is almost too much for me to comprehend. I thought I love everyone. I have so much hate for this hate that I can’t see these people as humans.
It is hard to say who knew what here.
Sounds like the people involved were freelance journalists so it is quite possible the AP and even horrible CNN etc. had no knowledge of what those photographers and journalists were covering.
It’s also hard to say if the freelancers themselves had prior knowledge of what was going to happen. They may have just gotten an anonymous tip telling them to show up for a newsworthy event. Some of them may have just been in the area covering the perpetual strife over there and gone out when the shooting started though this is much less likely. It does seem that at least one of the freelancers had some strong connections with Hamas and might have known about the plans? Is he a propagandist for Hamas? A simple profiteering reporter? Someone willing to ignore moral implications due to their dedication to get the story?
Reporters are in a bit of a hard place because they are supposed to report the news and not become part of it. It requires maintaining some neutrality if you want to be allowed to be in a position to record these events. Getting unbiased on the ground views of what is going on is vital for people in functioning representative governments to hold their leaders accountable. Unfortunately unbiased news and properly functioning representative governments are hard to find these days.
I could never be a really good reporter. I wouldn’t be able to stand by and record people’s suffering without trying to do something about it.
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That is a ray of hope. Thanks, it makes me feel better.
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Welcome to the grim reality of the new world order! I’m beginning to see that hope shrink, hour by hour!
I’m down to this much hope!
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It’s the sad result of commercial violence, violence perpetrated for screen shots and political statements. Add that to the 5 minute news cycle, broadcast live in living color. That along will politically motivated “news” agencies and you get, well this.
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I for one find it incredible (as in “lacking in credibility”) that these “journalists” and the organizations to which they were supplying reports just happened to be in the area covering “the perpetual strife” permeating the daily lives of Palestinians in Gaza. News organizations (I am hesitant to include CNN in such an illustrious group) have limited trusted human resources in the area on whom they can rely in times of ‘Breaking News’.
The photo portrays an extremely friendly relationship between the Hamas terrorist leadership and the reporter and, although it is hard to say whether the photo was taken before or after the horrific event of October 7th, such a fact is a distinction without a difference. The sympathies and apparent mutual trust are the same.
As far as I am concerned this is just another example of why CNN is the least trusted, most discredited organization in cable news television.
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That is why these days many of the stories the big news organizations report on come from freelance journalists. They have gotten rid of most of their professional reporting staff to cut costs and it shows in their even poorer than usual reporting. Sometimes the freelances get contracted by a specific News organization to do a specific story but I believe more often than not they get the story and then see if one of the agencies they have connections with will pay for it.
As I said the just being there is the least likely option since Hamas likely would have targeted them if they weren’t pre identified as reporters who might share their exploits. As far as relationships go there are often reporters who make friends with unsavory characters in order to get the story. Whether they are pretending friendship in order to get the story or truly support the cause of the criminals and sleazy people they report on can probably be determined by seeing their work and the stories being painted in it. It wouldn’t surprise me if this particular guy was a Hamas supporter and knew what was going to happen. But without seeing his previous work I would be hesitant to pass that judgement based on a couple of photographs of him with Hamas members.
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Your reasoning is sound and in substance I share your clearly expressed opinion. But I have lived too long to ignore how honest, impartial reporting has been supplanted by the mean-spirited opinions of people calling themselves journalists.
From the article: “It is reckless to make such allegations, putting our journalists on the ground in Israel and Gaza at risk.” Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! Journalistic disregard for the truth (replacing facts with biased reporting and opinion) has resulted in the distrust of and lack of respect for news sources in general. If they only held the same level of concern for accuracy and truth they hold for the “integrity” and “safety” of their reporters, we could once more appreciate the dangers and risks taken to GET the stories in the first place!
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What’s the saying … “It if bleeds, it leads.”
Killing generates eyeballs, views, clicks, etc. Been that way since newspapers were a still a thing.
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