[Miami Herald] Ike Seamans - In the Israeli-Hizballah shootout, there is no doubt who lost the media war. Israel was savaged by many American print and TV reporters for aggressively defending itself against a ruthless enemy, while Hizballah received a free pass by journalists in its territory for fear of retribution. Most TV correspondents covering the latest imbroglio have scant experience in the region and have demonstrated exceptionally weak comprehension of combatants, issues, strategies - even geography - and an inability to provide context. Far too much TV reporting (especially on cable) has been riddled with mistakes, hype, and fantasy. If this is the future of network Middle East coverage, I, as a retired NBC correspondent and Israel bureau chief, suggest this warning be affixed when appropriate: "Correspondent Tab DeLovely just arrived at the Lebanese border. Doesn't know diddly, but spins a tantalizing tale. This may be disturbing to viewers seeking accurate news."
2006-09-01 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive