Kiwis for Balanced Reporting on the Middle East

Kiwis for Balanced Reporting On The Mideast New Zealand Media bias

December 1, 2007

The importance of a headline

In an interview with Ha'aretz, Israel's PM Ehud Olmert warned that a two-state solution is necessary to avoid a ’South African-style struggle for equal voting rights“. The Otago Daily Times headline (Olmert mentions 'apartheid') completely distorted his meaning in a manner reminiscent of the DomPost headline ('I need a Maori') that incited desecration of a Jewish cemetery in Wellington. The KBRM chairman protested:

Dear Murray,
Please correct the false and inflammatory headline (Olmert mentions 'apartheid', Dec. 1, p. 11) that was inserted over an otherwise well-balanced article by the AP. First of all, the Prime Minister never used the word 'apartheid', as can be verified by looking at the full Ha'aretz article > http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/929439.html <, and yet it is put in quote marks in the headline. Second, the thrust of his remarks was in the exact opposite direction. Olmert was warning that if a two-state solution, which he greatly desires, does not come about it could lead to apartheid, which he is very much against.

As you know, the word apartheid has been, quite incorrectly, applied to present-day Israel, and your headline only added to that misconception.

I hope you will run a correction, pointing out both the explicit error in quotation and the implicit error in substance. If you don't want to do that, I ask you to publish this letter, suitably edited, as a letter to the editor.

Thanks very much.
Rodney Brooks, Chairman
Kiwis for Balanced Reporting on the Mideast

Suggested editing of letter for publication:

The headline (Olmert mentions 'apartheid', Dec. 11, 2007, p. 1)) that you inserted over an otherwise well-balanced AP article was both false and inflammatory. The Israeli Prime Minister never used the word 'apartheid', and yet it was put in quote marks. More importantly, the thrust of his remarks was in the exact opposite direction. Olmert was warning that if a two-state solution, which he strongly desires, does not come about it could lead to apartheid, which he is very much against. Unfortunately, the word apartheid has been incorrectly applied to present-day Israel, and your headline only added to that misconception.

This letter was published on Dec. 8, albeit with some emasculation, including omitting the last sentence and with an added note: ‘The headline reflected the content of the AP article ’. Mr. Brooks responded to the editor, saying, “Thanks for publishing my letter today. In regard to your added note, I think that my letter ‘reflected the content of the AP article ’ much better than your headline, but now's not the time to argue about that.”