Posted on 07/29/2014 2:10:41 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
The Associated Press has a big social media problem. A string of poorly worded and misleading tweets from that news organization have begun to seriously damage that institution’s coveted brand as an apolitical and trusted reporting outlet.
The series of terrible tweets from the AP began on July 22 when the organization rushed to promote a breaking story regarding the American intelligence community’s formal assessment of the parties involved in the July 17 attack on Malaysian Airlines Flight 17.
BREAKING: US officials: Intel suggests Malaysia plane shot down by separatists, no link to Russia found.
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 22, 2014
In fact, American officials did find a link to Russia. The AP story on America’s intelligence assessment read, “US: Russia ‘created the conditions’ for shoot-down.” Administration officials immediately embarked on a media blitz in which they corrected the mistaken impression that the White House had absolved Russia for any responsibility for that attack.
The AP’s error was followed by a flurry of corrective tweets:
MORE:U.S. officials say they have no evidence directly linking Russia to downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17: http://t.co/MzSyXqrhrf
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 22, 2014
MORE: U.S. officials say flight was likely mistakenly downed by missile fired by Russian-backed separatists: http://t.co/o74FO4TJnz
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 22, 2014
The following day, the AP’s Twitter account had to contend with yet another embarrassment.
BREAKING: Dutch military plane carrying bodies from Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crash lands in Eindhoven.
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 23, 2014
This poorly punctuated tweet caused mass confusion as users read this unfortunate sentence as the announcement of yet another tragic plane crash.
Hours later, the AP again issued a clarification:
CLARIFIES: Dutch military plane carrying Malaysia Airlines bodies lands in Eindhoven.
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 23, 2014
“This was an especially regrettable lapse that drew wide attention as Dutch families awaited the return of their loved ones’ remains,” Paul Colford, the AP’s director of media relations, explained.
The latest embarrassment for the AP came today in the form of this extraordinarily biased and insulting tweet:
As much of world watches Gaza war in horror, members of Congress fall over each other to support Israel: http://t.co/DepO2etLQS
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 29, 2014
The suggestion in this account is that American lawmakers are practically tripping over themselves to pander, ill-advisedly, to a poorly informed public which inexplicably supports Israel in the current conflict in Gaza.
In fact, the sentiment expressed in this tweet is reflective of a historic impulse in the media to lament America’s stubborn refusal to conform to the consensus opinion in Europe. That sentiment, and the tweet which exposed it, is an indictment of the moral ambiguity that dominates newsrooms. European Jews are again fleeing the continent’s shores as anti-Semitism yields ominous violence. Some will no doubt seek refuge in the United States where the vast majority of Americans continue to support Israel.
According to a new survey conducted by Pew Research Center, the Los Angeles Times reported on Monday, Americans blame Hamas over Israel by a 2-10-1 margin.
The survey also showed that about 1 in 4 Americans said they thought Israel had gone “too far” in its response to the conflict — almost exactly the same percentage who took that view in previous Gaza fighting in 2009 and in Israel’s 2006 battle with the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon.
About half of Americans said they thought that Israel’s response in the current fighting had been about right (35%) or had not gone far enough (15%).
Those lawmakers who “fall over each other to support Israel” are, in fact, representing the majority of their constituents who also support Israel.
The AP finally corrected its error hours later with a far more neutrally worded tweet:
Many U.S. lawmakers strongly back Israel in Gaza war (revises wording in this @AP tweet: http://t.co/RZs5dh0m2L ): http://t.co/OvBKx75U6Z
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 29, 2014
This string of embarrassments for AP is troubling. One or two misfires can be discounted as accidents, but three in the space of a one week is a trend.
It is now incumbent on the AP to review its social media policy and implement a change of course. Its brand as a credible wire service is on the line.
The Associated Press has a big social media problem. A string of poorly worded and misleading tweets from that news organization have begun to seriously damage that institution’s coveted brand as an apolitical and trusted reporting outlet.
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Psshh. That ship has sailed (and sunk) many years ago.
AP hasn’t been neutral for year.
Since when?
Ruining? AP rang that bell many, many moons ago.
The AP, LA Times, CNN, most all the manipulated media including FOX, make most comments on the Internet, comments from real American people in the hinterlands, appear as Holy Gospel.
Why? The AP is a liberal propaganda rag. The more it embarrasses itself with repeated mistakes, the better.
They have lied, distorted, and exaggerated ‘news’ to help their messiah since 2007, it is just a reflex now.
Even Ron Fournier said to Heck with it! and moved on..
I wonder if Fox would hire a FReeper as a sign they sort of get it?
I get sickened when the brow and the beckel are on.
Associated Propaganda has a ‘brand’?
Who knew?
The AP is biased period.
They probably run dozens of biased articles a day if not an hour
and have for decades.
I thought that AP stood for Atheists and Progressives...
...coveted brand as an apolitical and trusted reporting outlet.
***
Was this written 20 years ago? The AP has been in the tank for the left for a long, long time.
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