Kiwis for Balanced Reporting on the Middle East

Kiwis for Balanced Reporting On The Mideast New Zealand Media bias

January 23, 2009

NZ Herald publishes uncorroborated charges

The New Zealand Herald published an article under the headline "Israel denies killing fleeing Gazans" that was based on uncorroborated testimony of Palestinian civilians in Gaza who spoke to the BBC and the human rights group, B'tselem. The article began:

‘Israeli troops have reportedly fired on Gaza residents trying to escape the conflict area. The BBC reported that it and an Israeli human rights group had been told of the incidents but Israel strongly denied the allegations... B'tselem said it had been unable to corroborate the testimony it had received, but felt it should be made public.’ Read article

This publication of unsubstantiated reports by the New Zealand Herald struck KBRM member Kirsty Walker as irresponsible journalistic practice. She wrote to the NZ Herald as follows:

The New Zealand Herald article, ‘Israel denies killing fleeing Gazans’, is based on unsubstantiated reports and claims. The article admits that it was ‘difficult to verify the accounts’ and a primary source for the story ‘said it had been unable to corroborate the testimony it had received.’

In a situation as tense, complex and far reaching as the conflict between Israel and Hamas, it is irresponsible for a reputable newspaper to print mere hearsay. This country has witnessed flag burnings and vandalism and heard highly emotional public outpourings, all provoked by reports of events taking place half a world away.

In their reporting of the Mohammad al-Dura ‘affair’ and the Jenin ‘massacre’, the western media were fooled by Islamist groups, distributing reports and video footage that later proved to be exaggerations and misrepresentations of actual events. I would have hoped that the Herald would have learned from these embarrassing and damaging lapses in journalistic judgement.

It would be responsible, ethical journalistic practice for the western media to wait, before reporting on events in the Middle East, until corroborated evidence emerges from Gaza, rather than distributing what may turn out to be deliberate misinformation.

Kirsty Walker