Alex Safian, Associate Director of CAMERA (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America, "www.camera.org"), notes a glaring discrepancy in the way National Public Radio covered two seemingly similar stories, one after the other. Safian writes that on March 4 and 5, two Islamic extremists blew themselves up amongst crowds of civilians, killing over 20 and 15 people, respectively - yet the two "parallel stories [were] not covered in a parallel way on National Public Radio."
Safian continues, "In consecutive news segments on the March 5th broadcast of NPR's Morning Edition, the first attack was described as a 'terrorist bombing,' with 'Muslim insurgents' the likely perpetrators. The report offered no explanation [or possible] justification [for the attack]. The second attack was reported without using any form of the word terror, and included nothing about who the likely perpetrators might have been, describing them only as 'militants.' Moreover, the attack, and similar attacks in the past, were implicitly justified as a 'campaign against ... occupation."
Safian then then provided the "obvious" explanation: the first attack was in the Philippines, while the second was carried out by Palestinian terrorists against Israelis.
The transcript of the relevant parts of NPR's March 5th news at 8 AM follows:
"The president of the Philippines today ruled out any combat role for US soldiers in her country, as the Philippines fight Muslim insurgents. Yesterday a terrorist bombing killed 21 people including an American missionary; more than a hundred people were wounded.
"A bus exploded in northern Israel today. Police and witnesses in the city of Haifa say at least five people were killed and several were injured. Militants have carried out a series of suicide bombings as part of their campaign against Israeli occupation. This is NPR news."
"NPR's March 5th news report," concludes Safian, "is yet one more example of the truism that at NPR facts take a back seat to a European-style anti-Israel agenda which is pursued with an almost religious fervor."
Originally appeared on CAMERA
(With thanks to IMRA, "www.imra.org.il")
Safian continues, "In consecutive news segments on the March 5th broadcast of NPR's Morning Edition, the first attack was described as a 'terrorist bombing,' with 'Muslim insurgents' the likely perpetrators. The report offered no explanation [or possible] justification [for the attack]. The second attack was reported without using any form of the word terror, and included nothing about who the likely perpetrators might have been, describing them only as 'militants.' Moreover, the attack, and similar attacks in the past, were implicitly justified as a 'campaign against ... occupation."
Safian then then provided the "obvious" explanation: the first attack was in the Philippines, while the second was carried out by Palestinian terrorists against Israelis.
The transcript of the relevant parts of NPR's March 5th news at 8 AM follows:
"The president of the Philippines today ruled out any combat role for US soldiers in her country, as the Philippines fight Muslim insurgents. Yesterday a terrorist bombing killed 21 people including an American missionary; more than a hundred people were wounded.
"A bus exploded in northern Israel today. Police and witnesses in the city of Haifa say at least five people were killed and several were injured. Militants have carried out a series of suicide bombings as part of their campaign against Israeli occupation. This is NPR news."
"NPR's March 5th news report," concludes Safian, "is yet one more example of the truism that at NPR facts take a back seat to a European-style anti-Israel agenda which is pursued with an almost religious fervor."
Originally appeared on CAMERA
(With thanks to IMRA, "www.imra.org.il")