Thursday, February 09, 2012

CNN Fires Entire Jewish Staff Of Israel Bureau - And Retains Only Arab Reporters

http://css_drz.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/Cnn-pro-arabe-300x180.jpg?41ed4f

CNN's Israel bureau is downsizing, reportedly to cope with a reduced budget due to falling advertising revenues.

That doesn't explain why they fired four Israeli Jewish journalists (out of a crew of 8), and retained only Arab journalists. The local chief editor of CNN is now an Arab.

Among the long time news personnel let go were Moshe Cohen, editor, fired after 10 years with CNN; Izi Landberg, Producer, about 25 years with CNN; Avi Kaner cameraman fired after 10 years with CNN; and Michal Zippori desk producer.

CNN's usual procedure in the past was to send both a Jewish and an Arab reporter out on stories. Now, they're only going to send an Arab journalist, with all that implies. It's no secret to anyone that Arab journalists have to toe the Fatah and Hamas line if they want to do reporting on stories in Gaza and the Arab occupied areas of Judea and Samaria without taking the risk of being murdered.

CNN's coverage of Israel and the Middle East conflict has been questionable for a very long time, and it's going to get even worse now that it will only be reported from one side's point of view. The fact that this also coincides with the brass at CNN's point of view and their willingness to take steps to ignore even basic journalistic ethics to promote shows how far a once respected news source has fallen.

(hat tip, Jean-Patrick Grumberg at www.Dreuz.info)

6 comments:

louielouie said...

a once respected news source has fallen.

as this is you blog, you are speaking for yourself there.
speaking for myself, not once have i respected them.
from their inception, i always thought something was fishy.
i kept hoping a bomb would fall on peter arnett on air.

Anonymous said...

It won't make any difference. The worst anti-Jews and anti-Americans are Jewish Democrats.
I can say so - I'm Jewish, but definitely not a Democrat.

Anonymous said...

To "Anonymous" who states that "the worst anti-Jews and anti-Americans are JEWISH DEMOCRATS"------go back to your crack-pipe---The worst kind of "Anti-Jew" is an ignorant one----Thanks for demonstrating what that is for all of us! I am both a PROUD American Jewess and a Democrat--who LOVES and honors my Country and my Yiddishkeit................Please pass the knishes........lol! M.A.,Atlanta

Rob said...

So,M.A....how do you fell about CNN firing all of their Jewish reporters?

Anonymous said...

CNN has responded, and I assume that the person who put out this story will correct themselves, and stop spreading hate.

http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/11/cnn-statement/

In response to inaccurate reports, CNN has strongly denied since Friday rumors that it no longer employs Israeli Jews in its Jerusalem bureau.
The company has said:
"CNN has recently reviewed its worldwide operations, an exercise we do regularly to ensure operational and technological efficiency in everything we do. As part of this exercise, we have reorganized the CNN bureau in Jerusalem."
To counter misinformation reported on various websites, the company has confirmed:
"CNN currently has seven employees working in CNN's Jerusalem bureau, four of whom are Jewish. There is no basis in fact for these reports."
"Some website reports also state that CNN's Jerusalem bureau chief is Arab, which is also untrue."
"CNN strongly rejects any suggestion that the reorganization in the Jerusalem bureau is in any way based on the small number of contract employees concerned being Israeli, particularly given CNN’s long history of working with locals in the region."

Rob said...

Wrong, Anonymous. There were eight reporters/writers/ producers employed at the Israel Bureau. They fired every Jewish reporter and producer..although they may have kept on the odd driver or secretary. That's what the story was about - Israeli Jewish journalists

They deny 'rumors' that they no longer employ Israeli Jews in their Jerusalem bureau. But they're not denying that they no longer employ Israeli Jewish journalists in their Jerusalem bureau, which was what the story was about in the first place.

They claim, "CNN currently has seven employees working in CNN's Jerusalem bureau, four of whom are Jewish." None of those Jewish employees are journalists.

I stand by the story.

I plead guilty to getting one thing wrong. The bureau chief is now Kevin Flower, and there's some evidence he might actually be situated in the US.