Posted on 08/23/2006 11:38:11 AM PDT by Republican Red
By Jules Crittenden Boston Herald City Editor
Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - Updated: 12:39 PM EST
It’s been over a week since Fox TV newsmen Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig were abducted in Gaza. Until today’s terrorist video by the Holy Jihad Brigade, showing them both alive and demanding the release of Muslim prisoners in America, the news wires and other outlets were largely silent about them. On the right half of the blogosphere, there were suspicions the lack of coverage may be due to Fox’s conservative tilt, much criticized by the left and within the American media in general.
At my own newspaper, a conservative tabloid once owned by Rupert Murdoch and a distant cousin to Fox, we didn’t report much, either. Here’s how the coverage worked:The first night, we saw the brief wire news report of the abduction. We noted that they were kidnapped in Gaza. Knowing that Palestinian gunmen are in the habit of releasing non-Israeli hostages within a couple of hours, we did not run the wire story. There were other stories vying for the space we devote on any given day to the many acts of war and violence in the Middle East. A couple of days later, when they still had not been released, the wires moved a heartfelt appeal from cameraman Olaf Wigg’s wife that had aired on Arab TV. We ran that.That story included Palestinian officials expressing concern that this was something different. They had not heard from whomever is holding the men and did not know who is holding them.Still no hostage video. Until today, there was virtually nothing else available on this story on the wires, which we rely on at present for most of our foreign coverage. As the person who handled the wires on some of those days, I was surprised by the silence.
There have been comparisons to coverage of the Jill Carroll abduction, which are quite legitimate.A couple of notes on that.Carroll was abducted in Iraq, where unlike Gaza the terrorists have a track record of executing abducted foreign news and aid workers.The Christian Science Monitor early on succeeded in keeping a lid on the news of Carroll’s abduction, which raised legitimate questions of a double standard within the news business on how news about newspeople is handled. There are indications Fox in the first week also tried to keep the coverage of Centanni and Wiig’s abduction low key. There does appear to have been significantly more interest in Carroll’s abduction early on, but what made her story explode on the airwaves and in print was something we hadn’t seen yet in Gaza: the emotional hostage video.
That alone raises questions of exactly how willing we are to play the terrorists’ game in addition to the in-house news game, as the terrorists got exactly what they wanted. These are not easy questions. When we play up the videos, we help deliver a huge dose of terror and attention to households worldwide.But we also confirm for discerning viewers, again, that the people who commit these acts deserve no mercy, and no steps should be taken to address their demands in response to their acts.
In the case of Centanni and Wiig, observing the atypical media silence, I had the same suspicions some of the bloggers had, notably www.michellemalkin.com , www.riehlworldview.com, and www.freedomszone.com, that Fox newsmen don’t command the same level of sympathy and interest in our largely left-leaning media that Carroll did.
I am well aware of the complexity of news placement decisions on any given day. It is easy to throw stones.I would not be inclined to believe there might be bias at play here if it wasn’t for the vitriol I’ve seen expressed repeatedly about Fox within the news business and out of it, over the mere existence of a news outlet with the effrontery to offer a rare alternative to the media’s prevalent starched-shirt liberalism ... to be unabashedly pro-American, pro-Israel and anti-terrorist at a time when those things are anathema. We are very accustomed to this kind of criticism at the Boston Herald.But it has achieved a new cynical depth. With two men missing and held by an unknown terrorist group, this is what is posted at www.poynter.org/romenesko, a media discussion forum with a marked tendency to highlight liberal views and give short shrift to voices that don’t march in lockstep.
San Diego Union-Tribune TV critic Bob Laurence:"They are far from the first to be kidnapped ... the kidnapping or targeting of journalists in Iraq isn’t the story it once was."
A patently false statement, given the huge coverage Jill Carroll’s retrospective is currently receiving, not to mention the factual issue that these two were taken in Gaza, not Iraq. But a fair discussion of the issue.
Then he goes on to suggest it is Fox’s own fault, that Fox’s honest conservatism in a "fair and balanced" presentation -- which we can compare to the bulk of the American media’s sham pretense of "objectivity" -- has set Fox apart in its own conservative ghetto.Other media outlets can be excused if they don’t care about these particular newsmen. Fox has been asking for it.
"Fox has deliberately set itself apart from other media ... You can’t keep insulting people and then expect friendship when you need it," writes Laurence.
Proclaiming a desire to be "fair and balanced," and to have executives and commentators question whether this is true of other news outlets, has placed Fox beyond the Pale. For these ideological reasons, an act of terrorism targeting news professionals just isn’t a big deal.
I have no doubt news organizations will fall over themselves to make up for the silence now. They have the terrorist video to run, and they are not insensitive to jabs from the right.They need to keep their fig leaves in place.
But I applaud Laurence for his honesty, something rare in America’s liberal-dominated media where the prevalent view is that the emperor is, objectively speaking, decked out in magnificent clothes.This is a positive development. I’d like to hear some more honesty of this sort. How many others in the news business, and out of it, don’t give a damn about the fate of these two men?
Well said. Glad you sent it!
Bravo! Very well said.
I don't see how you come to that conclusion. The kidnappers probably aren't under the control of the Palestinian Authority. That this happened is a big black eye to the Palestinian cause. What good would it do to suck up to the PA?
Anyone remember Daniel Pearl?
I must say the man is cool under fire.
I can not even image how I would respond to this kind of stress.
This is a great quote. It shows the far left does understand and is choosing to ignore the warnings. For years, the far left MSM has insulted the conservative values of its customers. They have mocked religious conservatives and championed causes in opposition to same. And now the far left MSM is bleeding customers.
And they fail to connect the dots - but they do understand that actions have consequences. They just hate that the consequences are applied to them.
The Dixie Chicks made the same mistake and are now having to cancel concerts because they thought it was a good idea to mock and insult their customers. And their response too is to complain that they have free speech and shouldn't be punished for exercising that right.
Dear Mr. Laurence,
You can be certain I feel no friendship or even respect for a cretinous scumbag like you. Still, if the jihadists kidnapped you I would certainly think that your fate as a human being mattered. I would certainly think that every effort should be made to follow your story and work for your release.
The Fox News team that you so blithely leave to the jihadists are worth more in one fingernail than your entire worthless existence.
Nonetheless, I would not wish their fate upon you and I would never say you had it coming as an anti-American lowlife if the jihadists were to separate your head from your body or pursue other forms of jihadist recreation.
Sincerely,
A Real American
You get a letter back yet???
Shep hasn't been on in recent days.....wonder if he's still shaking in relief that it wasn't him that got nabbed.
That's horrible because we know and they know that their demands will not be met. You have to wonder what the purpose of this barbarism is, that is beyond building their own self esteem.
I have been struggling with a definition of a cult that would describe Islam and I think that I have come up with a pretty good definition. I think that a cult is any religion that benefits someone or group, other than or more than its followers, and uses mind control to keep the adherents in line.
I have read that those in charge in Gaza have been worried about AlQaeda infiltrating from Egypt. I am terribly afraid for these two brave souls from Fox. The video does seem awfully like the videos from the recent past where the captives have suffered an ill fate. My prayers are with Mr.Centanni and Mr.Wiig and their families.
TV Critic:Kidnapping Not Covered Because Fox News "Set Itself Apart" (they die who cares)
you go, girl!
Nothing, they are indeed a piece of work.
Indeed, mware. It was one of the most mendacious articles I've ever read, but, as noted, at least HONEST for MSM.
Don't you wonder how Mr. Laurence sleeps at night ???
Doin' ok ... looking forward to a get-togther in January :)
Yeah, Bob, and it would be deliciously funny that you said so if not for the situation.
I pray that both men are found safe and sound.
I too, had wondered why there was so little reporting on this. But, as you point out, if there is nothing new to report what are they supposed to say.
I also considered that maybe they were were afraid of being accused of sensationalizing the story because they were 'their' people.
I hope they will be okay and pray for them.
The gal from the Science Monitor was released so maybe these guys will be, too.
Something else to keep in mind is that the terrorists count on news coverage. Maybe not giving them the coverage is a good thing.
Fox has been quiet about the story for three reasons IMO.
1. If they ran it continually, they would be accused of using the kidnapping to jack up ratings.
2. They are not going to give the terrorists who have them what they want, publicity.
3. They are working behind the scenes to get this situation resolved and are keeping informtion very quiet in order to not harm chances of them being released. Until this video was released, it's been a news blackout.
Now, I'm not suprised that the liberal medial has put their own opinion over the lives of these two men. After all, they work for the "enemy" and since when have liberals cared about life?
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